


You Are Worthy of Love

by DustOfTheStars



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Cinderella Elements, Commoner!Yuuri, M/M, Past Abuse, Prince!Yuri, king!Viktor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-30
Updated: 2017-07-16
Packaged: 2018-09-20 19:51:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 15
Words: 59,013
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9510368
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DustOfTheStars/pseuds/DustOfTheStars
Summary: Cinderella Inspired storyYuuri Katsuki runs away from his abusive Uncle's household & starts life anew in the Kingdom of Russeta. Despite living peacefully in Russeta for years, Yuuri is still haunted by his past. He yearns to feel like he's living rather than just existing. Perhaps a chance meeting with a King will be just what he needs in order to heal.





	1. The Scars That Remain

**Author's Note:**

> I think I saw at least 3 other Cinderella & Yuuri on Ice crossovers, but what harm will having another one do? ;D Haha! Enjoy! \\(^_^)/

Yuuri Katsuki sweeps the hardwood floors of the Okukawa onsen. It is a little after 5 in the morning. The onsen wouldn’t open for another 6 hours.  
  
The Okukawa onsen is the first & only onsen to open in the Kingdom of Russeta. Onsens originated from the Empire of Hasetsu, but despite the foreign concept the Russeta locals took an instant liking to the idea & the onsen soon had a strong following of regular customers.  
  
Yuuri’s employer & owner of the onsen is Minako Okukawa - a lithe woman with medium brown hair & dark grey eyes. Yuuri looks up to Minako as a friend, family, & mentor all wrapped into one. Minako had told Yuuri that she originally wanted to be a dancer, but an injury prevented that dream from coming true. So she packed her things, left the Empire of Hasetsu behind & opened the first onsen in the Kingdom of Russeta.  
  
_‘Hasestu.’_   Yuuri grimaces as memories of his former home start to surface. He focuses more intently on his sweeping & tries for what feels like the hundredth time that morning to forget his past. Yuuri notices how tired he feels.  
  
Minako always asks him why he gets up so early. It sounds simple to just roll over and fall back asleep. The problem is Yuuri has always had trouble sleeping. Always waking up, mind filly alert, sometime around 5am no matter what time he went to sleep the night before. He had tried many times to lay in bed and fall asleep again, but that’s when the memories would start to emerge.  
  
Yuuri’s mind wanders back to Hasetsu. No matter how hard he tries, Yuuri can’t forget. He remembers everything. Every emotion he felt & all the emotions he didn‘t feel. Every detail of his life in Hasetsu eternally engraved in his mind. It didn’t matter if he was born a noble, no amount of wealth could stop accidents. The memories invade Yuuri’s mind & begin playing out before he can stop them.  
  
  
_The burning heat & blinding light of the flames that took his family. _  
  
_Meeting his Uncle, his new guardian, for the first time._  
  
_The dry hands & the minor cuts and burns he received learning to cook & clean._  
  
_The fearful stares from a distance from all the servants & house workers._  
  
_The seed of fear blooming into terror over the years as his Uncle yelled & screamed at him._  
  
_The frigid winter nights spent on a frozen pond near his Uncle’s household. Body freezing & skin chapping. Only feeling free dancing upon the ice._  
  
_The night he ran away for the first time & the day after, when Hasetsu guards dragged him back to his Uncle’s household._  
  
_The complete & utter despair upon learning he can only be free when he turned 18 - turned into an official adult._  
  
_His Uncle’s rage over the attempted escape lashing out at him in the form of a whip._  
  
_The servants, giving him a last ray of hope in the form of a handful of gold coins._  
  
_Buying the cheapest train ticket that took him the furthest from Hasetsu, & the week long train ride there spent quivering with fear._  
  
  
_‘Novermber 29th.’_   Yuuri twitches as he remembers the day’s date - his mind coming back to the present. It is November 29th. Yuuri turns 23 today. The 5 year anniversary since he escaped and Yuuri is still haunted. Yuuri protectively wraps his arms around himself. As his hands touch the  bare skin of his arms he notices he forgot to change out of his pajamas. Too focused upon waking on trying to avoid the many memories. Yuuri moves his arms away from his body & carefully looks at the scars on the tops of his forearms. The multiple whip marks long since healed but still clearly visible. Dark, harsh lines against his skin. The ones on his back are worse. Permanent reminders that his past will always be with him. Forever.  
  
Not wanting to linger on dark thoughts, Yuuri leans the broom against a wall & pads with his bare feet up wooden stairs to change. On the second floor Minako’s personal rooms are past a set of sliding doors to the left. Minako wouldn't be awake for many more hours to come.  
  
Yuuri turns right. A row of windows along the entire length of the right side of the hall allows some faint light to filter in. As Yuuri walks toward his room at the end of the hall, he passes two large banquet rooms reserved for parties & a bathroom.  
  
The furniture in Yuuri’s room is set up in such a way as to give the tiny room as much space as possible. A desk, bed and night table are all crammed along the wall opposite of the doorway, with the bed positioned perfectly under the window. In the corner along the same wall as the doorway is a wardrobe. Yuuri notices he left the setup of the room the exact same way Minako had set it up.  
  
Yuuri owed his life to Minako. Offering him a free meal & room despite being a stranger fresh off the train. It had been nighttime when Yuuri first arrived in Russeta. Yuuri had spent every gold coin on the train ticket & was prepared to sleep on the street that night until Minako walked up to him. She literally dragged him to her onsen after Yuuri kept refusing the offer despite it being for free. Yuuri was so thankful that he paid her back the only way he knew how. The next morning, after finding the closet with the cleaning supplies, he had vigorously scrubbed & cleaned the entire main floor of the onsen - including both men’s & women’s separate locker & shower rooms. When Minako had finally woke she hired him on the spot.  
  
Yuuri changes into a long sleeve shirt & a pair of pants & folds his pajamas. Once done he glances at the clock on his night table.  
  
5:40am.  
  
Yuuri sighs. He looks out his window at the starry night sky - snow covered rooftops of the kingdom beneath it. Yuuri stares forlornly & wonders when he will feel like he is actually living rather than taking on each day as it comes and goes. He shakes his head, sending the thought away & he mentally scolds himself for thinking that. He is happy now, working in the Okukawa onsen. He is free, and that is all that matters.


	2. The King's Parade

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for the kudos and comment! I'm glad people are liking it so far :D Enjoy!

The air is crisp and cool on the sunny December 22 afternoon. Powdery snow sparkles in the warm sunlight and a light wind briskly cools the area. Minako & Yuuri wait outside with the thousands of other people in the large open space surrounding Ice Castle. Russeta citizens typically have light hair & eye colour and it is a sea of light coloured heads as they wait for the King’s parade to pass by. The King is finally returning home after three long years spent outside the kingdom.  
  
Unlike the Empire of Hasetsu where an emperor is required to run the nation, Russeta & many of its surrounding neighbouring kingdoms have a Court of Ministers to run the country. While the Court deals with internal affairs within the kingdom, the royals deal with foreign affairs outside the kingdom. It is very common for royals to leave their kingdoms on multiple week to month long trips throughout the year. In King Russeta’s case, he’d been gone for an unusually long time. The King had been away helping a neighbouring kingdom to the north, the Kingdom of Saints, but Yuuri didn’t pay much attention to the whole ordeal.  
  
“I haven’t seen a crowd like this since Hasetsu!” Minako comments as she looks behind them at the ever growing mass of people. Yuuri makes a sound of agreement & looks around as well. Every street leading to the open area except the one the King is going to come down is filled with people waiting to greet their King back into the kingdom. Yuuri wonders if the streets can take the weight.  
  
Every main street in Russeta is actually a bridge built in the center of a large stonework canal. Ample space is provided between the sides of the bridge and the sides of the canal, creating a large, ditch like space to dump excess snow. The canal has a large sewer system built underground underneath it and during the summers the snow would melt and drain into the sewer. Yuuri had wondered how much work was required to maintain such a system, but Minako told him that the kingdom’s mage at the time of the construction of the kingdom had set up magic seals to protect the structure. The Kingdom of Russeta has a long history of mages working for the royal family. The current one being a man named Christophe Giacometti - the locals typically call him Chris.  
  
Someone shoves their way past Minako & Yuuri, trying to get closer to the welcoming parade’s barricades.  
  
“Watch it!” Minako hollers at the no longer visible man & glares in his general direction. Minako pouts. Yuuri knows that she really wants to catch a glimpse of Chris but with the more people pushing their way to the front the farther they get pushed back. Even though they had arrived early to wait in the crowd, they were nowhere near where they had initially started off. Yuuri sighs. He can see that Minako is going to do something drastic soon.  
  
As if on cue Minako grabs his hand, stares him straight in the eye and says, “Come on, Yuuri! We’re claiming our rightful place in this crowd!”  
  
“Oh no.” Yuuri groans as Minako begins yanking him between bodies of people. He hates crowds but Minako insisted he attend this parade. Telling him earlier that day that _‘it’s good to get out every once in a while!’_  
  
Yuuri sorrowfully stares up at Ice Castle. So close yet barred off for the day due to the parade. _‘Guess I wont be able to skate today’_ he thinks.  
  
The Kingdom of Russeta has two castles. Ice Castle is located in the center of the kingdom and is open to the public. Along with many rooms, it has a large greenhouse filled with plants from all over the continent - the perfect place to get a break from Russeta’s long winters. It also has a large ice rink inside - Yuuri’s favourite place other than the Okukawa onsen. The rink is empty most nights when Yuuri arrives after his cleaning shift at work, which is a bonus.  
  
The second castle in Russeta is known as the King’s Castle. Located on the outskirts of the kingdom, partially up a mountain  & surrounded by many towering, snow covered pine trees. The King lives there & the Court of Ministers operates within this castle. During the night the King’s Castle is lit up with purple & blue lights - giving it an ethereal glow.  
  
Yuuri grimaces as his arm twists to the path Minako takes between people. Yuuri nearly knees a child in the face, everyone is so packed close together. Cheers can be heard in the distance as the King passes through the streets. Yuuri finds it rather eerie, like a distant war cry of an opposing battle force.  
  
The cheers come closer & closer and soon people around them are whispering “King Viktor” in anticipation of the King’s arrival. The whole crowd starts squishing forward & Yuuri’s arm gets trapped between two people. He can’t feel Minako’s hand anymore so he pulls his arm free. People push forward more, the crowd getting louder and more riled up. Between two buildings a ball of light is sent into the air & bursts with a pop. Sparkles of light rain down and Chris, the blonde haired, green eyed mage, appears from between the buildings sitting on a wooden staff - meters up in the air.  
  
Yuuri faintly hears Minako as she and many other women lovingly scream “CHRIS!!!” at the top of their lungs before cheers drown everything out. The mass of people surges forward even more & Yuuri’s face gets smooshed into someone’s back - people pressing right up against his own back. Yells of “King Viktor!” & “Your Majesty, King Viktor!” become deafeningly loud.  
  
Arms wave, children sit atop their parents' shoulders & others stand on their toes or lightly jump in an attempt to catch a glimpse of their King. Yuuri can’t see a thing! He desperately clings to his glasses & prays to whatever deity is out there to make sure he doesn’t die today.  
  
Yuuri faintly sees another mage, a man with dark hair, following Chris’ lead upon his own staff. The Kingdom of Russeta only has one mage so Yuuri curiously wonders about the second mage as his face is once again plastered against the back of the person in front of him. Yells of “JJ!!” can be heard coming from women within the vicinity. Yuuri realizes that he really did need to pay more attention to what goes on in the kingdom.  
  
The two mages light the sky above them with a magic light show & the thousands of observers go absolutely wild. Yuuri’s never seen magic before, Hasetsu never had a mage, but he can’t for the life of him properly see anything. Yuuri thinks this is the worse the horde of people is going to get, but he’s proven wrong when the King’s carriage finally comes into view.  
  
The crowd gets even louder if that is even possible. Yuuri is moving but he knows for a fact he’s not walking as the sea of people move as one huge tide. Guards at the barricades firmly hold their ground & reinforce the barriers to prevent the mob from spilling out into the King’s carriage’s path. Yuuri urgently tries to look for an escape route - all hopes of catching a glimpse of the King abandoned.  
  
As the King’s carriage passes through the open area, the tide of people lurches sideways as people begin to fight their way through the crowd to follow the path of their King. Yuuri does his best to stay on his feet & takes firm steps backward as people shuffle around him. Yuuri continues this until it is safe to turn around. The cheers slowly die down little by little as the King gets further away. Yuuri squeezes his way through the last throngs of people and breathes in a giant breath of relief as he finally reaches freedom.  
  
Yuuri turns & looks at the swarm of people. Yuuri has lived here for five years & he still doesn’t know what the King looks like. Back in Hasetsu, there was at least one image of the Emperor within every household.  
  
Yuuri sighs & wonders what kind of bruises he’ll find on himself tomorrow. He straightens up, takes one last look at the direction the King went, & begins his twenty minute walk back home to the onsen.  
  
As he walks along the sunny path back to the onsen, the streets empty of people and the roar of voices far off in the distance, Yuuri thinks about the King. He wonders if the King is happy to be greeted back in such a way, or just exhausted after coming home from such a long trip. Yuuri shrugs to himself & sticks his hands into the pockets of his old jacket. He wasn’t ever going to meet the man so no need to worry himself about how the King feels.

  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! \\(^_^)/


	3. A Night to Remember

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Phew! This is the longest chapter I've written so far :D Enjoy!

“Alright, Minako, we’re heading out! Are you coming?” One of the chefs that works in the small restaurant section of the onsen asks.  
  
“Yes! I’ll be there in just a minute!” Minako responds. The chefs & other employees wait outside as Minako grabs her coat and slips it on. Before putting on her boots, she turns and stares expectantly at Yuuri.  
  
Today is December 25. After the welcoming parade the whole kingdom has spent the past few days setting up the annual ‘King’s Birthday’ festival. Food stands, lights & decorations are set up around Ice Castle & along the main streets of the kingdom, and artists create several large, magnificent ice sculptures for the occasion. A fantastic fireworks show marks the start of the festival. It begins specifically at 8:48pm - the exact time King Viktor was born. The festival lasts an entire week and many Russeta citizens spend every hour of said week partying, drinking & celebrating. The onsen closes early that evening, along with many other businesses.  
  
“Are you joining us for the festival’s opening night this year? Opening night is the best night you know!” Minako says, trying her best to convince Yuuri to come.  
  
“I’ll join you next year.” Yuuri replies with a sheepish smile.  
  
“You said that last year.” Minako rebuts. Yuuri’s smile turns into an awkward one. He knows full well that she is right, but it’s not going to change his mind. Minako knows this.  
  
“Alright, I’ll let you off the hook for one more year. But next year,” she threatens, “I’m dragging you with me whether you like it or not!”  
  
“Okay.” Yuuri nods in agreement, but they both know the promise is an empty one. Minako & Yuuri have had this exact same conversation every year since Yuuri came to the onsen. Hasetsu celebrates December 25 as Christmas, a day to spend quietly at home with family. Due to this Yuuri is never in the mood to spend the day celebrating. Yuuri has never told Minako of his past, but she is understanding and doesn’t pry. For that Yuuri is forever grateful.  
  
Minako watches Yuuri for a second then turns away to grab her boots. A thought strikes her and she quickly whips back around and points an accusing finger at Yuuri.  
  
“And don’t you dare clean!” she scolds. “The onsen is closed tomorrow so just leave it and we’ll clean it together.”  
  
Yuuri raises his hands up in surrender. “Alright!” He says. Minako gives a small smile then begins pulling her boots on. She straightens up and goes to the door - Yuuri following behind her. She opens the door and turns to Yuuri.  
  
“Alright, I’m off. You have a good night, Yuuri.” She says.  
  
Yuuri nods in affirmation. “Have fun, Minako.”  
  
Yuuri waves goodbye to her & the other employees before he closes and locks the onsen’s door.  
  
After everyone leaves Yuuri gets to work. It’s too early to go to bed and if he doesn’t keep himself busy, memories will start to haunt him. He grabs a metal ice scraper, slips on a pair of wooden sandals and heads outside to the men’s onsen. The weather that evening is mild so Yuuri doesn’t need a jacket. It had freezing rained the night before and a thin sheet of slippery ice covers the smooth, inlaid stones on the ground. He sets to work chipping the ice away. He continues to work until he hears a faint boom and cheers in the far distance - signaling the start of the fireworks. Yuuri sighs, continues chipping away and wonders if the fireworks can be heard at the King’s Castle.  
  
The King is currently celebrating his birthday with a ball held within his castle. Ever since its announcement three days ago - shortly after the welcoming parade - Minako has talked about it nonstop and she has gushed about all the details to Yuuri. The theme of the ball is ice skating - ice skating being the King’s favourite pastime. Chris is going to freeze the entire first floor of the castle - making it the largest ice rink in all of Russeta. Only nobles and royals are invited & they are to wear their finest attire for the night. The guests will gracefully dance waltzes atop the ice to live music, and during the ball the King will choose a woman to be his wife. Yuuri finds it quite surprising the King isn’t married yet considering royals get married quite young and the King is turning 27 today.  
  
Yuuri is startled out of his thoughts when a man’s voice coming from behind him boldly announces, “Yuuri Katsuki!”  
  
Yuuri screams out in surprise and drops the ice scrapper. It clatters noisily on the ground as Yuuri whips his head toward the voice’s source. A dark haired man stands a few meters away from him - pale blue smudges of makeup surround both of his eyes & paints his lips. _‘How did he get in here!?’_ Yuuri thinks staring shocked at the stranger.  
  
Yuuri swiftly scans over the man’s appearance. His clothes are mostly dark blue with black  & purple accents. The man’s shirt is outlandish with its large, peculiar collar & thousands of small jewels covering the entirety of the shirt. The jewels sparkle so brilliantly it is blinding. He also wears the tightest pants Yuuri has ever seen.  
  
Yuuri gains a steely resolve as he finishes sizing the man up. _‘I can take him!’_ Yuuri thinks  & quickly stoops down to pick up the ice scrapper. The man flicks a black gloved hand and the ice scrapper flings across the ground out of Yuuri’s reach.  
  
_‘A mage?!’_ Yuuri panics and backs up. Some mages have been known to curse people just for the fun of it and this man looks like one of those mages. Yuuri trembles in fear as the stranger gestures towards Yuuri and begins to speak.  
  
“Yuuri Katsuki! I am Georgi Popovich. Your family has been pestering me non stop for weeks to help you. So here I am, at your service.”  
  
There is a long pause of silence. Finally, Yuuri asks, “Pardon?”  
  
The man, Georgi, gestures towards Yuuri with his other hand and repeats his sentence word for word. “Yuuri Katsuki! I am Georgi Popovich. Your family has been pestering me non stop for weeks to help you. So here I am, at your service.”  
  
Yuuri stares at Georgi - his mind trying to process what is going on right now. Yuuri furrows his brows in confusion and says, “But my family died.”  
  
Georgi’s face flares in anger and he takes long strides up to Yuuri until they are face to face and exasperatedly exclaims, “I KNOW that! Their spirits have been tormenting me for weeks to help you! Ever since Anya left me.” Georgi turns his head away and yells, “Oh! Anya!” towards the sky. Tears pour from his eyes and they smear his makeup further down his face. He focuses his wide, teary eyes back onto Yuuri and Yuuri flinches in response.  
  
“I’m...Sorry?” Yuuri guesses, trying to find a way to appease the upset man.  
  
“HMPH!” Georgi sulkily grunts in response. He lifts a gloved hand and with a small burst of tiny, sparkling lights, a folded paper appears in Georgi’s hand.  
  
“Your mother forced me to write this for you.” He shoves the paper into Yuuri’s chest.  
  
“Read it.” He commands. Yuuri takes the paper and Georgi backs off. Georgi turns away from Yuuri and occupies himself by melancholically screaming, “Anya!” and other mournful words to the night sky.  
  
Yuuri watches Georgi for a second - mind still reeling from the whole situation. He looks at the paper and unfolds it. Georgi’s neat handwriting flows down the page. Yuuri begins to read.  
  
_Yuuri._  
  
_My dearest son. My precious boy! I am so proud of you. I’m so sorry for leaving you all alone in this world and for leaving you with that cruel man. It was never my, your father’s, nor your sister’s intention to hurt you, Yuuri, and we hope that you can one day forgive us._  
  
Yuuri trembles. His heart clenches as a deep yearning for his family suddenly resurfaces after being buried away for so many years. Tears blur Yuuri’s vision and fall freely down his face as he continues to read  
  
_We also want you to forgive yourself, Yuuri. Non of this is your fault. Please be happy my dear child. We will watch over you everyday._  
  
The last sentence is written near the very bottom of the page, far away from the rest of the text.  
  
_Always remember, Yuuri, you are worthy of love._  
  
Yuuri sobs and rereads the short letter. His heart aches, he misses his family so much. He hugs the paper to his chest as if it will relieve his pain. He lifts his head and takes a step back in fright. Georgi is leaning toward Yuuri staring very intently at Yuuri’s face.  
  
“You’re heart broken too.” He claims.  
  
“Excuse me?” Yuuri asks with a sniff. Georgi straightens and completely ignores Yuuri’s inquiry.  
  
“Your family asked that I help you attend the King’s ball tonight.” He says. He steps back and slowly raises his gloved hands. Shimmering lights the size of fireflies begin to gather around his hands.  
  
“Wait- they asked you to do what?!” Yuuri yelps.  
  
“Hold still.” Georgi says as he flicks his hands forward. The lights gracefully stream from Georgi’s hands and surround Yuuri. Yuuri is temporarily blinded by light as his old shirt  & pants transform into a black collared shirt & black dress pants. His forearms & hands are wrapped in fingerless gloves. He stumbles a bit as his  wooden sandals suddenly sprout skate blades from the bottoms of them and turn into a black pair of skates. With another sparkle of light, skate guards appear over the blades, protecting them.  
  
Yuuri looks up just as Georgi sends out one last trail of magic lights. It touches the letter in Yuuri’s hand and the letter bursts into thousands of shimmering lights. The lights envelope Yuuri’s upper body and materializes into a gorgeous jacket. It’s a rich blue in colour, made out of a transparent material. Several small precious jewels dust his shoulders and they shimmer like the stars with each movement. Gold ropes dangle from his left shoulder and gold ropes & buttons are used to close off the front of the jacket. It is the most beautiful thing Yuuri has ever worn.  
  
Yuuri feels a faint wind against his forehead and reaches up to feel with his hands. He finds his bangs have been pushed back from his forehead and now rest smooth atop his head. He feels his face for his glasses and discovers that they’re gone. He can see as if he’s wearing them but they’re not there.  
  
“Where are my glasses?” He asks.  
  
“My magic transformations will wear off at midnight tonight. Go have fun at the ball for a few hours and return home before then.” Georgi instructs, once again ignoring Yuuri’s question.  
  
“Wait! How am I supposed to get there? It’ll take over an hour if I walk. Especially with skates.” Yuuri explains.  
  
“Hmmmm...” Georgi contemplates. Yuuri still doesn’t know what to make of this whole situation. He convinces himself that this is all a dream. He must have slipped on the ice and smashed his head on the ground. It isn’t a bad dream so far so he decides he mind as well see how it plays out.  
  
He’s broken out of his thoughts as Georgi seems to come up with a solution to their dilemma. Georgi turns his back to Yuuri, thrusts his arms out behind him, looks over his shoulder and says to Yuuri, “climb on my back.”  
  
“Huh?” Yuuri asks but the look in Georgi’s eyes makes Yuuri shut up and comply. Yuuri gently places his hands on Georgi’s shoulders and lifts one leg at a time into Georgi’s awaiting arms.  
  
Georgi bends down and leaps into the air. Yuuri thinks they’re going to jump from roof to roof but they keep going higher, and higher, and _higher_. Cold wind whips against Yuuri’s face and Yuuri violently wraps his arms around Georgi’s neck and hangs on for dear life. They finally come to a slow at the height of their jump and Yuuri takes a peek down. He instantly regrets, discovering a horrifyingly newfound fear of heights, before they begin to plummet faster, and faster, and faster toward the King’s Castle. Yuuri shuts his eyes tight and begins to scream. Just as Yuuri thinks he’s about to die, they gradually slow  & come to a gentle stop safely on the ground near the stairs leading to the castle’s front doors.  
  
Georgi releases Yuuri’s legs and they fall to the ground like lead. Yuuri gently pries his arms off from around Georgi’s neck and regains his stability while Georgi prattles off instructions.  
  
“Be back here precisely by midnight for me to take you home or else I’m leaving you here.”  
  
“Halt! Who goes there!” A voice shouts. Two guards quickly dash down the stairwell - their hands ready to draw their swords at any moment. Apart from the castle’s purple & blue ambient glow & bright lights pouring from the windows, there isn’t much light around the castle at all. The two guards spot Yuuri in the shadows and cautiously approach him.  
  
“Are you alright, sir? We heard screaming.” One of the guards asks.  
  
“Oh! Um...”  Yuuri glances behind him - Georgi is gone. Yuuri turns back to the guards and stammers, “I’m sorry! I-I uh... slipped and fell.” Yuuri says, blushing with nervousness. The two men stare at him wide eyed.  
  
“Your coachman didn’t help you?” They ask, appalled.  
  
Yuuri is taken aback from how caring these guards are. “Oh! He’s um... busy.” Yuuri replies. The guards release the hilts of their swords come closer to Yuuri.  
  
 “Invitation please.” One of them says gesturing to Yuuri’s right hand. Yuuri glances down and sees that he’s holding a stiff card. _‘When did that get there?’_ He wonders and places it in the guard’s awaiting hand.  
  
The guard confirms the authenticity of the invitation and offers Yuuri his arm. Yuuri tentatively grabs onto it as the second guard comes around Yuuri and takes Yuuri’s other arm. The two guards then proceed to help Yuuri up the small staircase to the large front doors of the castle. The guards hold onto Yuuri as he removes his skate guards and clips them to the waist of his pants. Yuuri steps onto the ice and the guard hands Yuuri’s invitation back to him. Yuuri smiles, thanks the kind guards and skates into the castle.  
  
Just past the front doors is a man sitting at a desk. He asks for Yuuri’s invitation, reads the name on it and places the invitation atop a pile of other received invitations. He then flips through a guest book, finds Yuuri’s name, places a checkmark next to it and writes down the time Yuuri arrived. The ball had started hours ago - Yuuri hopes he isn’t being rude by arriving so late.  
  
“Welcome, Lord Katsuki. Please.” The man at the desk says as he gestures Yuuri toward the door to the grand ballroom. Two more guards stand at the doorway to the ballroom and Yuuri nods politely at them before he enters.  
  
Yuuri’s  breath is taken away when he sees the grand ballroom. Hundreds of guests dressed in their best finery either chat idly with one another or skate in a graceful waltz across the ice covered marble floors. The ceiling of the room is so high that Yuuri’s eyes are drawn upward to admire all the open space above him. Large crystal chandeliers brightly illuminate the room and Yuuri gasps in awe upon seeing that the ceiling is glass - millions of stars glimmer in the cloudless night sky. Magic amplifies the orchestra so the music can be heard throughout the room. Tall floor to ceiling windows at the opposite side of the room has a view of the castle’s large garden - more guests stand outside on the balcony and socialize with one another.  
  
In one section of the ballroom Yuuri sees a swarm of women and can only assume the King is somewhere in the middle of that. Yuuri sighs as he realizes he once again won’t be meeting the King. There is no way he is fighting through that mob.  
  
Yuuri skates forward further into the room and is immediately approached by a petite noble woman. She asks Yuuri for a dance. Taken by surprise Yuuri flushes red and sputters on his words. She smiles, takes his hands and pulls him to the dance floor. Yuuri doesn’t know how to dance with a partner, but the noble woman seems more than happy to teach him the steps. After their dance finishes Yuuri is whisked away by another pair of hands, this time a man’s, and Yuuri stumbles once again as he learns a different, faster dance.  
  
Yuuri is a quick learner with his skates, and he soon gets caught in a loop of finishing a dance only for another guest to take their place. Murmurs of a foreign prince begin spreading around the room. Yuuri looks around him and sees only light coloured hair - meaning royals and nobles from in and around Russeta must be the only ones in attendance. It is at this moment that Yuuri realizes the foreign prince the guests whisper about is him.  
  
In need of a break, Yuuri extracts himself from the dance floor and heads out to the balcony for some fresh air. The balcony has an elaborate stone railing and Yuuri peers over it at the garden. Tall, towering, perfectly trimmed hedges maze throughout the whole garden - requiring one to walk through the garden to truly see all its beauty. The freezing rain from the night before thickly coats all the hedges and they glisten from the mixture of purple, blue and bright lights emanating from the castle. Yuuri has never seen a royal garden before and he gets an urgent desire to wander through it. He looks around and sees a set of stairs off to the side of the balcony leading down into the garden. Yuuri eagerly skates over and grips the railing as he carefully descends the icy steps.  
  
Yuuri skates through the opening between the tall hedges and wanders along the winding path. Every branch, plant  & hedge is covered in ice. Deep in the garden and far away from the noise of the castle, the silence is only broken when a gentle wind causes the flora to softly clink together. Not a single person is out here.  
  
 Yuuri finally reaches the end of the icy pathway. Before him in a vast open space is a large, frozen, circular pond - larger than the ice rink in Ice Castle. He skates to the center of the pond and spins in a slow circle, just living & breathing in this moment and committing everything he sees to memory. He doesn’t want to forget a thing.  
  
Yuuri feels so light and happy that he can’t help himself. He begins to dance upon the ice, claiming this wide space as his own for the night. Yuuri’s smile comes effortlessly and for the first time Yuuri isn’t afraid.  
  
He is safe here. He is free.  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Viktor appears next chapter :3 Thank you for reading!


	4. Fake Smiles Only Last for so Long

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My apologies for the late chapter! Every friend I know wanted to socialize this past weekend and a crunchyroll contest took up most of my evenings last week >_< Enjoy! :D

Viktor is at his limit. These past few years have been difficult for Viktor and this birthday ball is the last straw.  
  
It began three years ago when word arrived that the King & Queen of the Kingdom of Saints had been poisoned. The Kingdom of Saints’ neighbour - the Kingdom of Auberon - was threatening war unless Saints’ newly orphaned young Prince, Yuri Plisetsky, married the Auberon Princess. Viktor had immediately departed Russeta to aid his northern ally.  
  
It was a heartbreaking sight when Viktor had arrived. The eleven year old Prince’s grieving wails could be heard echoing down multiple castle corridors as he mourned bitterly over the death of his parents, and Saints’ fifteen year old mage, Jean-Jacques Leroy, sat outside the Prince’s room blaming himself for the whole situation. Saints’ Court of Ministers was at a complete loss in what to do in this dire situation and they were forever grateful for Viktor's arrival.  
  
To start, Viktor assigned his most trusted knight, Otabek Altin, to guard and watch over Prince Yuri. Although Otabek was young - a year younger than Saints’ mage - he was very capable and more skilled than several of his elders. To look after JJ, Viktor tasked his mage and closest friend, Chris, to mentor him.  
  
Once the two young teens were taken care of, negotiations with Auberon began. After two meetings with Auberon’s King, Baldemar, it became painfully obvious he was responsible for the death of Yuri's parents. During the initial meetings, Viktor adamantly refused to offer Yuri up for marriage. Baldemar would most definitely find a way to murder Yuri somehow, and then Baldemar would inherit Saints through his daughter.  
  
Negotiations would slowly move forward only to be torn down by Baldemar - causing them to start deliberations all over from the beginning again. Day after day it was court session after court session, meeting after meeting - weekly train rides traversing back & forth between the two Kingdoms. Yuri continually got more & more frustrated the longer it endured. His sobs of anguish turned into yells of anger as he took his rage out on JJ. Yuri hates his mage and Viktor knows it’s more than just a personality clash. Overall, the whole ordeal was frustrating, mentally fatiguing and was still going after two whole years.  
  
It was at this point in time during the height of negotiations that Viktor received urgent news from Russeta. The King and Queen of Cormac recently had a newborn girl and they requested to visit Russeta and meet King Viktor. Russeta had immediately responded back saying that King Viktor was away attending to serious business and that they would notify them of the King’s return. They visited anyway and were severely insulted that Viktor was not there. They demanded King Viktor visit Cormac in order to maintain peaceful relations with one another.  
  
It annoyed Viktor to no end at the complete stupidity and blatant ignorance most royals seemed to have. His hand was forced, so he prepared for departure.  
  
It would take a five day long train ride to get there and Viktor had desperately asked Chris if there were some way to magically teleport there. Chris had apologized and said that only one mage named Georgi knew magic like that, but no one knew how to contact him. Thus Viktor agonizingly left Saints in the care of his royal advisor, Yakov Feltsman, and traveled to Cormac alone.  
  
Cormac’s King & Queen were pleased at Viktor's arrival and instantly placed their baby daughter in his arms. The baby began wailing and the King & Queen prevented anyone from taking her from Viktor. They then prattled on & on about how their daughter would grow to be a beautiful wife to Viktor and that their daughter and Viktor should be close to each other to build a bond. Viktor had to restrain himself from losing his composure - how did these people think it was reasonable to marry a baby to a 26 year old!?   
  
Viktor would have to stay for a whole week, the shortest amount of time he had to stay to keep up appearances. That evening Viktor was horrified to find that his guest room was right next to the baby’s room. The baby continually cried through each night and prevented Viktor from getting any sleep while there. Viktor decided he hated babies so much that he'd rather adopt Yuri than ever produce any children of his own. Hence Viktor did just that.  
  
Once he returned to the Kingdom of Saints he set about getting papers ready to adopt the blonde teen. That was also the day Viktor discovered Yuri had a grandfather, Nikolai Plisetsky. Nikolai had been traveling the continent with Yuri's cousin, Mila Babicheva, and had only just heard the tragic news. When Nikolai heard of Viktor’s decision to adopt his grandson, he had willingly signed the papers allowing Viktor to be the legal guardian of Yuri.   
  
It was after the adoption that negotiations with Baldemar started getting somewhere. It had finally got through to Baldemar that if he messed with Saints, he messed with Russeta and all of its allies. It took another eight months, but their long deliberations had finally concluded. It was decided that Yuri & JJ would live with Viktor in Russeta until the time they were ready to return to Saints.  
  
However before they could return to Russeta, word arrived that Talia had finally found its long lost prince, Phichit Chulanont. Joining Phichit were his two mage friends, Leo De La Iglesia and Guang Hong Ji. It is important that royals with mages establish a relation with other royals with mages, and it has become customary to meet in the Kingdom of any royal that gains a mage. Viktor then had to suffer through a three day long train ride to Talia listening to Yuri argue with his mage.  
  
Upon finally returning to Russeta, Viktor had hoped to relax and spend some time with his poodle, Makkachin. Viktor had requested Makkachin join him in Saints, but with all the travel Viktor did, Viktor still didn't get to spend much time with her. It was to Viktor's great annoyance that he was immediately whisked from the train to a carriage where he was paraded around his Kingdom for four hours. Being in an open carriage, Viktor was forced to smile & wave during the entirety of it.  
  
When Viktor finally arrived back at his castle, his Court of Ministers wished to have a word with him. Sitting on his throne for the first time in three years, Viktor listened with ever fading patience that diminished every second the longer his ministers kept him there. They talked & boasted about all they had done to run the Kingdom since he left. Viktor didn't understand the point in all this since his ministers were basically telling him how they did what they were supposed to.  
  
Partway through, Yakov interrupted the court session and announced that in three days they would host a birthday ball for Viktor, and that Viktor would choose a wife from amongst his guests. Viktor was infuriated. He didn't show how angry he was on his face - his pleasant smile eternally in place - but he got off his throne and pulled Yakov into an empty ballroom where they argued. Yakov was firm that Viktor needed to produce an heir to which Viktor countered that Yuri was his heir. Yakov roared that Yuri can't rule both Russeta & Saints and Viktor reasoned that Yuri can have two heirs and split the Kingdom's again. Yakov wouldn't hear any of it and lectured Viktor to take his role as King more seriously.  
  
The next three days flew by as tailors, caterers, and decorators bustled around the castle. Yakov had commissioned a painting of Viktor so Viktor spent most of his time trapped sitting perfectly still for an artist. Soon it was the evening of the 25th and Viktor was forcibly dressed in his new attire. Black pants & a white collared shirt with a transparent pink jacket with gold chains & small jewels. Viktor stared at his reflection in the mirror with dead eyes and observed his jacket. Any poor man would be rich for the rest of his life if he got his hands on it. All these false pretenses & appearances disgusted Viktor.  
  
Shortly after, Viktor was escorted to his ballroom where he instantly magnetized a horde of woman. Now Viktor stands, smile wavering as these women cling to his arms, touch his back and press up against his front. All of them vying for his attention saying "King Viktor!" and "Your majesty, King Viktor!" All around him all he hears is King. King. _King._  
  
Viktor feels his breaths getting more shallow and he can feel the panic rise in him. He doesn't know if he is going to pull his hair out and scream or curl into a ball and sob. He desperately scans over the women's heads, looking for anything that can save him before he breaks. He then catches the distinct dark hair belonging to Otabek. As if sensing eyes on him, Otabek locks eyes with Viktor. Viktor feels relief wash over him because he knows that wherever Otabek is, Yuri is nearby. Viktor musters all his strength to force his smile back in place as he says, "oh look! It's young Prince Yuri!”  
  
Most of the swarm of women break away from Viktor to get in Yuri’s good graces. What better way to get to Viktor’s heart than to be loved by his adopted son. As for the women remaining, Viktor addresses them, “Ladies, I’m rather parched. Would one of you be so kind as to ask one of my servants to bring me a drink?”  
  
The women giggle gleefully as they skate off. A few women try to drag Viktor along with them but Viktor pulls himself free. Once alone Viktor’s smile instantly falls and he retreats outside. Some of his guests on the balcony spot him and Viktor quickly flees down the balcony’s side steps to withdraw into his garden.  
  
He skates to the end of the frozen path all the way to the frozen pond. Once at the frozen pond he skates to the pond’s edge and steps into the soft snow. He walks on his skate blades and ducks under the branches of the Lover’s Tree to seek refuge on the bench placed at its trunk. The Lover’s Tree’s branches are trimmed in such a way as to allow the benches occupants to see the garden & pond, but hide their identities from any passersby.  
  
Viktor sits there in the trees shadows. He stares at his hands resting on his thighs and feels the tears well up in his eyes. His heart is pounding and his body feels heavy. No matter how many times he blinks his tears won’t fall - preventing Viktor from getting the relief letting yourself cry can give you. He wishes Makkachin was with him, but the only way to his beloved dog is to fight his way past his guests and Yakov.   
  
Viktor doesn’t know how long he sits there but his anger flares when he hears someone skating onto the frozen pond. Viktor glares up at the intruding man. The man turns in a slow circle in the center of the pond, eyes filled with wonderment, as he looks at Viktor’s garden. Viktor swears this man has never seen a garden before, but the man looks wealthy enough to own one. Viktor notices that they’re basically wearing the same clothing - the only difference being the colour.  
  
Suddenly the man begins dancing upon the ice. He skates beautifully, and Viktor is slowly calmed watching the man’s graceful movements. Viktor could watch this man skate forever.   
  
Viktor glances at a clock tower that looms over the tall ice covered hedges and trees. Any moment now Yakov is bound to send guards out looking for him and it will look a lot better to be caught chatting with a guest seeming to have lost track of time rather than caught hiding from his guests. Viktor draws in what little energy he has left and wanders over to the pond. He steps onto the ice and begins skating toward the dancing man. Viktor is a few meters away from him when the man finally notices Viktor.  
  
“Aiyee!!!” The man shrieks and leaps into the air. He lands unsteadily but manages to stay upright. Viktor stops an arms length away from the man with his signature smile plastered onto his face.  
  
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you.”  
  
“I-I’m sorry, I didn’t expect anyone to be out here.” The man responds. The man’s face flushes and he fidgets from nervousness. Viktor finds the man’s response lacks a ‘King Viktor’ in it. Viktor wonders if there is a possibility that this man doesn’t know that he is King, but immediately pushes the thought aside.  
  
“You skate beautifully. Where did you learn to skate like that?” Viktor inquires.  
  
“Oh! I taught myself.” He replies shyly.  
  
“Really? No professional training?” Viktor is intrigued.  
  
“I skated a lot growing up.” He answers. He then looks off to the side and quietly mutters to himself, “It was the only thing keeping me sane really.”  
  
“Oh? Bad childhood?” Viktor presses, curious to know more. The man’s eyes dart back to Viktor - wide with alarm.  
  
“N-no! I mean... It wasn’t _that_ bad.” But the cringe on his face screams otherwise.  
  
“But it wasn’t filled with love was it?” The words leave Viktor’s mouth before he even realizes he thought them. The man’s eyes stay locked on Viktor and they slowly fill with tears. Viktor dreadfully thinks about the lecture Yakov will give him later for making one of his guests cry.  
  
Then the man smiles at him and says, “Are you lonely?”  
  
Viktor’s throat feels tight and he suddenly feels wide awake. He mentally checks his face and realizes that during their short conversation his smile had fallen away. This man is seeing Viktor as the human he is and it scares Viktor. No one has ever asked Viktor if he is lonely, not even his best friend Chris.   
  
Viktor decides to end the conversation there and return to the ball when the man surprises him once again. The man closes the distance between them and wraps his arms around Viktor’s chest.   
  
“Is it okay if I hold you for a bit?” He quietly asks with a sniff. This man is hugging Viktor and Viktor can feel the tears return to his eyes at the nostalgic feeling of another being’s warmth seeping into his body. The last time Viktor had a proper hug was way back when his parents were still alive. Back when he was six years old.  
  
Viktor feels the man’s arms loosen and Viktor, alarmed, quickly wraps his arms around the man and holds the man close to his chest. The man is tense for a few seconds but then gently relaxes into the embrace. Viktor leans his head forward and buries it into the man’s dark locks.  
  
They stand there upon the frozen pond for ages - neither one of them wanting to let go. Eventually Viktor pulls away just enough to keep the man in his arms but far enough to be able to see the man’s face. The man stares up at Viktor with gorgeous brown eyes that are rimmed with tears. Viktor begins to notice all the subtle beauty this man possesses.  
  
“Your name,” Viktor murmurs. “What’s your name?”  
  
“It’s Yuuri. Yuuri Katsuki.” He whispers back. Yuuri’s gaze locks onto something past Viktor’s shoulder and his eyes widen in shock.  
  
“Is that the time?!” He gasps. Viktor wearily follows Yuuri’s gaze to the clock tower looming over the garden.  
  
11:55pm.  
  
“Yes, why do you ask-”  
  
“I have to go!”   
  
Yuuri breaks away from Viktor’s grasp and Viktor mentally curses himself for not holding onto Yuuri tighter. Viktor quickly pursues Yuuri as Yuuri skates along the garden’s icy pathway back to the castle.  
  
“Wait!” Viktor shouts.   
  
“Wait!” He calls.  
  
“Was it something I said?!” He hollers at the man skating meters in front of him - saying anything to get Yuuri to stop.  
  
“No! I just have a curfew!” Yuuri shouts back over his shoulder.  
  
Viktor is huffing and wheezing for air. He can’t believe how much stamina Yuuri has. They pass through the last of the garden’s hedges and the ballroom’s balcony comes into view. Yuuri skates up to the balcony’s stairs and uses the ice picks on the front of his skate blades to dash up the steps. Viktor mimics Yuuri’s movements and leaps up the stairs, catching a glimpse of Yuuri as he glides through the balcony doors back into the ballroom. Viktor’s eyes lock onto Yuuri through the large windows, trying his best not to lose sight of him. He sees that Yuuri is disoriented by all the waltzing couples and pauses for a second as he looks for a way past them all. Viktor sees his chance and flies through the balcony doors. He reaches his hand out just as Yuuri is about to start moving again when a noble woman plants herself right in Viktor’s path.  
  
“King Viktor!” She exclaims and Viktor has to throw his whole weight into stopping before he crashes into her. Viktor curses mentally as he realizes he lost his chance to catch Yuuri.  
  
“Guards!” Viktor shouts, looking to the guards stationed by the balcony’s doors. They stare at their King wide eyed as Viktor points toward the direction Yuuri went and says, “Stop that man!”  
  
The guards stare bewildered at the crowd of dancing couples and Viktor grits his teeth. _Where is Otabek when you need him?_ Viktor seethes internally. _Otabek is competent, unlike these fools._  
  
He glares down at the woman that blocks his path. She smiles flirtatiously up at him. _I should’ve plowed you over._ Viktor thinks. He places a hand on her shoulder ready to shove her aside when another woman screams, “King Viktor!!!” and tackles him to the ground.  
  
Viktor lands painfully on the ice and soon women are arguing and crowding around him.   
  
“What are you doing to King Viktor?!” They squabble and they begin to push and shove one another. The women raise and move their feet to maintain balance and Viktor has to bring his arms protectively up to his face as their skate blades get dangerously close to his eyes. Viktor gets a cut along his forearm and one of his hands before his guards finally manage to break the women up and pull Viktor to his feet.   
  
The women look mortified, the couples have stopped dancing and most of the orchestra has ceased playing except a few musicians completely oblivious to the whole situation. Everyone waits patiently for the King to speak. Viktor’s smile comes easily as he shifts his weight to his right leg, slightly lifts his left foot and says, “I seem to have twisted my ankle. Please forgive me for retiring early for the night.”  
  
  
\-----------------------------------  
  
  
Viktor sits in one of the castle’s many sitting rooms having just finished being bandaged up by the castle’s doctor. Viktor leans back in his chair and is astonished by how happy and relaxed he feels. His smile comes easily and he feels exhilarated at the thought of seeing Yuuri again. The only issue being finding Yuuri.  
  
Viktor hears stomping down the hall get louder & louder until a very angry Yuri comes bursting into the room. Otabek lingers in the doorway as Yuri storms over to Viktor’s chair and gives it a good kick.  
  
“How dare you send your hoard of hags after me!” He roars.  
  
Viktor smiles and says, “You had Otabek with you. You were fine.”  
  
“OTABEK?!!” He screams. “Otabek stood off to the side and laughed at my predicament!”  
  
“No, there’s no way Otabek would do that.” Viktor looks at the knight and his eyes widen in surprise at the look of pure guilt in Otabek’s eyes. Viktor begins howling with laughter as Otabek steps into the room and kneels before him.  
  
“Please forgive me, my King.” Otabek pleads. Yuri glares down at his knight and once Viktor’s laughter dies down Viktor cheerfully says, “Otabek, you’re getting a raise.”  
  
“But my King!” Otabek protests.  
  
“WHAT!!?” Yuri hollers.  
  
Yuri kicks Viktor’s chair again and the chair creaks in complaint. Viktor chuckles even more and says, “I’m not changing my mind.”  
  
Yuri gives Viktor the deadliest glare and grumbles with gritted teeth, “I hope your dog gets hungry in the middle of the night and EATS YOUR FACE!!!” He gives the chair another good kick and stomps out of the room. Otabek quickly gets to his feet, bows respectfully to Viktor, and follows after the teen. After they leave Yakov steps into the room.  
  
“Yakov~! I’m injured! I want tomorrow off.” Viktor dramatically complains. Yakov grunts an affirmation. Despite Yakov’s tough exterior, he can be quite a caring man. Yakov has been in Viktor’s life since the day he was born. Viktor regards Yakov more as a father figure than a royal advisor.  
  
“Vitya, I’m sorry you got hurt during your birthday... Did any ladies catch your attention?” He asks hopefully.  
  
“Not particularly. I am curious as in to who attended though. I didn’t get to meet many of the guests that were there. Could you send the guest list and collected invitations to my study?”  
  
Yakov nods. “I’ll have them sent up in the morning.”  
  
“Do you know where Chris is? I haven’t seen him at all tonight.”  
  
“He and JJ are currently cleaning up the ice from the first floor. I suggest you get some rest, Vitya. You can see him in the morning.”  
  
Viktor nods and stands up. He smiles brightly as he stares out the window and prays that he’ll be able to find Yuuri tomorrow.  
  
  
\-----------------------------------  
  
  
Yuuri lies in his bed staring wide awake at his ceiling. After a terrifying leap to the onsen upon Georgi’s back, Georgi had dumped Yuuri on the ground, said his deed was done and disappeared, leaving a ripple in the air. With a burst of light, Yuuri’s clothes returned to normal and his mother’s letter landed softly in his lap. Up to that point Yuuri could believe the whole night was just a dream, but this letter was definite proof that it was all real.  
  
The letter now sits neatly folded on Yuuri’s desk. Yuuri brings his hands to his face as his brain once again reminds him that he hugged a noble man. Yuuri couldn’t explain why he hugged him, he just felt this sensation on his back as if his parents were giving him an encouraging push - silently reassuring him it’s okay. Yuuri couldn’t remember the last time he had a proper hug. Minako tried hugging him once, but Yuuri was so stiff and uncomfortable by the contact that Minako promised to not give him any hugs unless he initiated the hug.  
  
Yuuri anxiously rolls around on his bed as his mind keeps wandering back to the hug. Yuuri is pretty sure the man was smelling his hair, and Yuuri becomes extremely self conscious about how he smells. Yuuri even told this man his name. His full name! This man is going to find Yuuri, discover Yuuri is just a dirty poor person, and then the man is going to kill Yuuri. Yuuri bashes his head against his mattress and tells himself to stop thinking such stupid things, but his mind won’t stop.  
  
Yuuri doesn’t get any sleep that night.  
  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I decided to make Makkachin a girl since there are already so many men in this series xD Thanks for reading!


	5. Searching for Yuuri

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some chapters I have all planned out in my head and I type them out rather quickly while others I have to sit and think about them a bit xD I had to do that with some parts of this chapter, haha! Enjoy!

Makkachin wakes Viktor up at his usual time of 6am.  
  
“ _Makkachin_.” Viktor groans. Since Viktor has the day off the servants were letting him sleep in. Viktor didn’t get to bed until 1:30am after the ball. He closes his eyes and feels himself drift off to sleep again but Makkachin isn’t allowing it. With another groan Viktor gets up. He figures he’ll take a nap later in the day. He pulls a robe on over his pajamas and slips his feet into a pair of slippers. He pets Makkachin for a bit then heads to his study to start his search for Yuuri.  
  
The wall opposite the door in Viktor’s study is all windows and has a view towards his Kingdom. In front of the window are two plush armchairs facing towards each other with a small circular table in between them. The left  & right walls are lined with floor to ceiling built in bookshelves. Viktor’s desk is in front of the left wall bookshelves and faces towards the right wall shelves. Viktor realizes in his sleepy daze that his study and bedroom are very similar in terms of how the windowed wall connects with a book shelved wall. On Viktor’s desk are the guest book and invitations he requested from Yakov.  
  
Viktor approaches his desk and runs a hand over the cover of the guest book. After a partial night’s sleep, Viktor came to realize he isn’t too sure what he intends to do once he finds Yuuri. Will they become friends or maybe lovers? Does Viktor want another hug from him? Perhaps Viktor just wants to see him skate again. This is the most motivated Viktor has been in a long time so he stands firm with his intentions of finding Yuuri. He figures he’ll decide what to do once they meet again.  
  
Viktor opens the guest book and begins flipping through the pages. The book is sorted alphabetically by last name. Viktor isn’t sure how Yuuri’s last name is spelt, but he figures the ‘K’ section is a good place to start. He places a finger at the top of the page in the ‘K’ section and moves it downward as he quickly reads through the names. Once done he places his finger on the next page and does the same. He flips the page and continues going until he finishes the entire ‘K’ section.  
  
Viktor furrows his brow and tries the ‘Cs’ next. After getting the same result, he flips to the ‘Ys’ just in case Yuuri’s name, for whatever reason, got listed by his first name instead. Still with no luck Viktor turns back to the ‘Ks’ to scan through it again more slowly this time.  
  
Viktor is just about to start looking through the pile of collected invitations when there’s a knock on his door.  
  
“Come in.” Viktor says.  
  
The door opens and Chris walks inside.  
  
“Chris, can you come look at this and tell me if you see the name ‘Yuuri Katsuki’ anywhere?” Viktor lifts the guest book and turns it toward Chris.  
  
“Katsuki?” Chris perks up at the foreign name. “My, my Viktor! Did the mysterious foreign Prince steal your heart?” He has the most mischievous grin on his lips as he closes the door behind him. Viktor huffs in annoyance. Viktor couldn’t show interest in anyone without everyone in his castle, especially Chris, assuming that Viktor has found someone to marry. Chris walks with a bounce in his step over to Viktor’s desk and sits on the edge of it.  
  
“It’s not like that. He skates beautifully. I just want to see him skate again is all.” Viktor explains, trying his best to show Chris that he isn’t as interested in Yuuri as he really is.  
  
“Oh? A private skating performance just for you? My Viktor, how naughty!” Chris’ smile gets even more devilish as he twists Viktor’s innocent words into something sexual.  
  
Viktor sighs exasperatedly and shoves the guest book at Chris. “Just look at it.” He commands.  
  
Chris is completely smug with himself as he takes the book from Viktor. He only holds the book for a second before he immediately points at one of the names.  
  
“There are traces of magic left on this name.” He turns the book to show Viktor. Viktor takes it from him and reads the name - Amelia Kabinov. Chris begins shuffling through the invitations and separates one from the rest.  
  
“The same with this invitation.” He hands the card to Viktor - Amelia Kabinov once again. Chris looks highly amused as he says, “Sorry Viktor, looks like your mysterious foreign Prince is a party crasher!”  
  
Viktor gives Chris a glare that says ‘it’s not funny.’ Viktor sighs as he looks at Amelia Kabinov’s name in the book and on the invitation. How is he supposed to find Yuuri now? For all Viktor knew, the name ‘Yuuri Katsuki’ might be an alias. He slumps a little, places the invitation down in the guest book and closes the book. Viktor sees Chris’ brows furrow and knows that Chris saw the sudden change in Viktor’s mood. Chris opens his mouth to comment but Viktor cuts him off.  
  
“So what are you doing here today, Chris? Have you come to get my take on last night’s ball?”  
  
“No actually. How are your injuries by the way?” Chris asks, remembering the dramatic end to the night.  
  
“Not bad.” Viktor replies looking at his bandaged arm and hand. “I lied about my ankle so it’s fine.” Chris chuckles at that.  
  
“I came to tell you that I’ll be away for a few weeks.”  
  
Viktor’s eyes widen in alarm. “Not another Pereline is it?”  
  
“No! no. My cousin is getting married. I’m heading home to attend and spend some time with family.”  
  
“Oh.” Viktor sighs in relief. Pereline was a Kingdom. Was.  
  
Every mage is able to access a magical communication stream. Through this they keep in contact with one another, spread knowledge and chat about everyday life. Whenever Viktor would ask Chris about the stream, Chris would smirk at him and say ‘it’s a secret.’  
  
It was through this stream that mages found out Pereline was torturing and killing mages. Pereline even went so far as to invade its neighbouring Kingdoms to kidnap mages and drag them back to Pereline. It enraged all the mages. Viktor had been seventeen at the time and Chris fifteen when Chris walked up to Viktor and said that he’ll be away for a few weeks. Chris left on the train that evening and, just as he had said, returned a few weeks later. It wasn’t until a week after Chris’ return that word arrived saying Pereline was wiped off the map.  
  
Viktor pouts. “No fair! You get a vacation and I don’t?”  
  
“I’m sure Yakov will give you a vacation once you marry someone.” Chris laughs. “I’m leaving today and still have a few things to pack - I should finish that off. Don’t do anything stupid while I’m gone.”  
  
“When have I ever done anything stupid?” Viktor asks. Chris gives Viktor an unimpressed look.  
  
_‘Right.’_ Viktor thinks. Viktor has done many foolish things in his lifetime. He has a habit of forgetting what the foolish act was but remembering the lessons he learned from the experience.  
  
Viktor sighs in defeat. “Alright, you have fun on your trip, Chris.”  
  
Chris nods and slides off Viktor’s desk. He slowly makes his way back to the door and pauses with his hand on the door handle.  
  
“Anyway about Yuuri Katsuki? From what I could tell at the ball yesterday, he seems like a man who was just enjoying himself for the night. I didn’t pay much attention to him since I was busy chatting up one of the musicians who was very attractive by the way.”  
  
“Chris.” Viktor warns to make Chris get to the point.  
  
“What I’m saying is, why would a person from another Kingdom pay a mage to glamour him up to specifically attend your birthday ball?”  
  
“...Are you saying he lives in Russeta?”  
  
“I’m saying it’s worth a look.” Chris smiles and exits Viktor’s study. Viktor mulls over what Chris suggested for a few seconds then moves the invitations and guest book off to the side of his desk. He pulls out a pen and paper and begins to write a note to the Kingdom’s record keeping building requesting a ‘Yuri Katsooki’s’ or a ‘Yuri Catsooki’s’ and any other variation he can think of to spell Yuuri’s name’s  information.  
  
  
\--------------------------------------------------  
  
  
By lunchtime that day, Viktor happily received Yuuri Katsuki’s file. It was a single page that stated Yuuri’s name, birth date, where Yuuri was from, the date Yuuri arrived in Russeta, and the place where Yuuri works. Viktor had flipped the page but that was all the information that was on it. It didn’t even say where Yuuri lived. Viktor placed Yuuri’s page into one of the drawers of his study’s desk and, after checking a map to see where Yuuri’s workplace was, decided to sneak out of the castle that night.  
  
Later that night after dinner, Viktor had said that he was going to bed early and made sure no one would disturb him until the morning. With his bedroom door locked, he stands in front of his vanity mirror putting on the finishing pieces to his outfit. He wears the plainest clothing he owns and has a scarf pulled up past his nose. He picks up a fur winter hat and pulls it down onto his head until it covers his eyebrows. He takes his hair that falls over his left eye and crams it up into the hat. Now only his eyes can be seen between the hat and scarf. Viktor smiles - satisfied with the overall appearance of his disguise. He looks like a noble instead of a King now.  
  
Viktor walks to the corner of his bedroom where his windowed wall meets with his floor to ceiling built in book shelved wall. He takes hold of a small book and a large book situated beside each other and switches their placement. Once done he pushes the small book further into the shelf until there’s a click and a section of the bookshelves pops forward. Viktor switches the books back to their rightful spots and grabs hold of the protruding shelf. The shelf follows built in tracks as Viktor easily pulls it forward until it’s past the other bookshelves and slides it to the side in front of another shelf.  
  
Where the bookshelf once was is a lift - an elevator of sorts. Viktor’s castle has many secret passages. Unfortunately the knowledge of where these secret passages are located were lost to time. Viktor only knows the whereabouts of two secret passages - the lift in his room being one of them. Magic stones forever illuminates the secret area so anyone fleeing from an unexpected attack could do so without needing to worry about grabbing a light.  
  
“Come on, Makkachin! We’re going out for a bit.” Makkachin’s tail wags happily as she walks over to Viktor. Viktor smiles at her but realizes she can’t see it due to his scarf. He laughs at himself and enters the lift with Makkachin. Once Viktor activates the lift the bookshelf follows along its tracks and closes with a ‘click’ back into its original spot. Viktor sits on the plush seating in the lift as it begins its long descent down from Viktor’s bedroom on the top floor of the castle to below ground level at the base of the mountain. Viktor doesn’t understand why his ancestor who built this castle didn’t include lifts in the main structure of the castle. Repeatedly climbing up and down the many stairs throughout the day is such a pain.  
  
Finally underground at the base of the mountain, the lift comes to a stop and then begins moving horizontally. This lift connects Viktor’s room to Ice Castle in the middle of his Kingdom. The whole ride takes ten minutes.  
  
After the lift stops at Ice Castle, Viktor exits, climbs some steps, and gently pushes open a wall. It opens up behind a large artistic tapestry that hangs half a meter away from the wall in the ice rink area. Viktor used to sneak out here and skate when he was younger and he feels a wave of nostalgia overcome him as he enters into the large room. Makkachin enters after Viktor and Viktor pushes the wall closed again. He hears someone skating on the ice peeks around the tapestry to make sure it’s safe to come out. The only person there is the skater dancing on the ice. Viktor watches the skater and smiles brightly as he recognizes the skater’s graceful movements.  
  
“Yuuri!” Viktor calls, his voice muffled by his scarf. He dashes out from behind the tapestry and runs up to the side boards of the ice rink - Makkachin chasing after him.  
  
“Yuuri!!!” Viktor flails his arms to catch the skater’s attention. Makkachin stands on her back legs and flops her front paws on the boards and peers onto the ice. Yuuri finally spots them and jumps in surprise. Viktor smiles at the resemblance to last night’s first meeting.  
  
“Yuuri! I’m so glad I found you! I wanted to see you again.” Viktor says leaning forward on the side boards and scarf smothering his words. Yuuri looks different with his dark bangs hanging in front of his forehead. He also wears glasses and has dark circles under his eyes as if he hadn’t slept last night. He stares skeptically at Viktor and seems to be debating with himself whether to come closer to Viktor or flee from Viktor.  
  
“I’m sorry, do I know you?” Yuuri asks.  
  
“Yuuri, it’s me!” Viktor pulls down his scarf to reveal his face. Yuuri’s eyes widen and he goes pale.  
  
“I didn’t get to introduce myself yesterday. I’m Vik-....Vi-Vi-...Vince! Vince uh..... Leroy!” Viktor has no idea why JJ’s last name was the first to pop into his mind, but it was too late to take it back now. If Yuuri honestly didn’t know Viktor is the King of Russeta, then Viktor wanted to keep it that way so he could see Yuuri’s true side. People have a tendency to act differently around him when they know he’s King.  
  
“Oh uh...hi. I-I have to go.” Yuuri says. All the colour has drained from his face making his dark circles stand out even more.  
  
“What?! Again?” Viktor complains.  
  
“Cur-curfew!” Yuuri responds and he quickly flees to exit off the ice. Viktor watches as Yuuri whips his skates off and pulls on some boots and a jacket. He does it so quickly Viktor finds it rather comical. Once Yuuri is dressed he picks up his bag and speeds towards the ice rinks exit. He takes a glance over his shoulder and, upon seeing Viktor still staring at him, lets out a high pitched ‘Eeep!’ and walks even faster away.  
  
Viktor looks down at Makkachin and she looks up at him.  
  
“Makkachin, want to go for a walk?” Judging by how fast her tail is wagging Viktor takes that as a yes. Viktor pulls his scarf back up past his nose and follows after Yuuri.  
  
Once outside Ice Castle Viktor finds out how crummy the weather is that night. A powerful, dry wind blows from every direction and picks up powdery snow in its gales. The snow hits the area around Viktor’s eyes - the only exposed part of his skin showing - and immediately melts. Soon Viktor has water dripping down his face and onto his neck. It’s more annoying than it is cold. Makkachin seems completely unfazed by it all.  
  
Drunken Russeta citizens stumble through the streets as they continue to celebrate the second day of the King’s birthday festival. Keeping track of Yuuri is rather easy since he’s the only one walking sober through the streets. Yuuri doesn’t once look behind him.  
  
They walk for quite a while and finally Yuuri approaches a door and enters the building. Viktor squints through the snow flying by and reads the building’s sign.  
  
“Okukawa Onsen. Does Yuuri live here too?” Victor speaks aloud to himself. He approaches the door and knocks on it. A minute later a pretty woman opens the door.  
  
“I’m sorry, we’re closed today. We’ll be open tomorrow at 10am.” She says.  
  
“Ah! I’m here for Yuuri actually.” Viktor says through his scarf.  
  
The woman’s brown eyebrows shoot up to her hairline in surprise. She lets Viktor and Makkachin step inside and closes the door behind them. Viktor takes the chance to wipe some water away from his eyes as the woman walks toward a set of stairs and calls up them.  
  
“Yuuri! There’s someone here to see you!”  
  
“Who is it?” Yuuri’s distant voice can be heard echoing down the stairs.  
  
“I’m not sure. It's a man.” The woman replies.  
  
Viktor can hear footsteps approaching and soon he sees Yuuri’s socked feet coming down the stairs. Once Yuuri comes into full view and sees Viktor he gasps in horror.  
  
“YOU FOLLOWED ME??!!!” He shrieks - voice scaling an octave at the end of his sentence. The woman whips her head back to Viktor and eyes him suspiciously.  
  
Viktor can’t help the wide smile that spreads across his face behind his scarf. He loves the way his heart is beating so excitedly. It is at this moment that Viktor decides what he wants to do. He gestures toward Yuuri and says as clearly as he can through his scarf,  
  
“Yuuri Katsuki! Please let me court you!”

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! :D


	6. Rejection

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Poor Viktor should've seen this coming xD Enjoy!

Viktor sighs as he walks along the empty streets to the Okukawa Onsen. His birthday festival ended a couple of days ago and now the roads seem eerily silent as everyone remains indoors to stay away from the frigid nights. The weather has become increasingly bitterly cold with each passing night.  
  
Viktor carries a single lavender rose in one hand and Makkachin trots happily beside him. He has walked this path to the onsen so many times over the past bunch of days that his feet take him there without having to think about it. His heart feels heavy and the only thing he can think about is how he has done something _extremely_ stupid while Chris was away and Chris was not there to help him fix it.  
  
  
  
After Viktor had announced his request to court Yuuri, Yuuri had stood there completely stunned and rigid. Viktor, Makkachin and the woman - who Viktor learns at a later time is named Minako - all stared at Yuuri waiting for his reaction.  
  
They watched as Yuuri’s expression morphed from its initial horror to confusion then incredulity. He blinked his wide open eyes slowly at least three times before it registered that he was supposed to say something. His face instantly became red and he shouted out a loud ‘NO!’ before he fled back up the stairs. His running feet could be heard pattering down a hall on the second floor and then a final door slam silenced everything.  
  
Viktor had to admit he wasn’t expecting that. He had honestly believed that Yuuri would say yes. He lifted a hand and idly ran it through the fur of his hat as it slowly sank it that he, King of Russeta, had just been rejected.  
  
Minako turned to him with a smile on her lips as she asked, “Are you coming again tomorrow?”  
  
Viktor looked at her perplexed and said that he could and she enthusiastically replied with a, “Please do!” Thus Viktor made plans to return the following night.  
  
The next day Yakov made Viktor get back to his duties. Apart from travel, Viktor’s work mostly consisted of answering boring letters and requests from foreign Kingdom’s. As he worked away in his study, he kept the back of his mind preoccupied as he thought out everything he was going to say to Yuuri that night.  
  
During lunch Viktor asked JJ how he courted his lady, Isabella Yang. Yuri groaned and left the table to continue his lessons with Yakov’s ex-wife, Lilia Baranovskaya, while Viktor stayed and listened as JJ rambled on for a whole hour about all the plans he made before he asked Isabella if he could court her. The only thing Viktor really got out of the whole story was magic flowers. Since Viktor couldn’t do magic he presumed that real flowers would do. Later that night after checking a map of Russeta to find a flower shop on route to the Okukawa onsen, he disguised himself once again and snuck out of his castle with Makkachin in tow.  
  
On this second night the onsen was open and bustling with customers. Viktor stood in the front entryway with a bouquet of flowers in hand and marveled at how busy the onsen was. Minako spotted Viktor, smiled brightly, came up to him and introduced herself for the first time. Viktor formally introduced himself as ‘Vince Leroy’ and apologized for the sudden drop in the night before. He asked if he could speak to Yuuri to clear up some misunderstandings.  
  
Minako asked Viktor to wait where he was and ascended the stairs. A minute later a slightly terrified Yuuri came down the stairs with Minako behind him. Her hands were on his shoulders pushing him forward. She guided Yuuri until he was standing directly in front of Viktor. Viktor handed Yuuri the bouquet and Yuuri stiffly held the flowers straight up with both of his hands - much like a bride walking down the aisle. Customers in the onsen curiously took interest as Viktor began explaining his actions to Yuuri.  
  
Viktor apologized for being so abrupt in asking to court him - Viktor had never courted anyone before and he was new to the whole concept. He asked for forgiveness for following Yuuri home, because seriously how are you supposed to ask to court someone if you don’t know where they live? Lastly, after Yuuri’s inquiry, reassured Yuuri that no he was not planning on killing him and why in the world would he think that?  
  
After Viktor was finished saying what he wanted to say, Yuuri seemed a lot more calm and relaxed. Viktor smiled behind his scarf and optimistically asked Yuuri if he could court him. Yuuri flinched, his face turned red and his eyes widened as he said no for a second night in a row. Yuuri dashed around Minako and any patrons in his way with the flowers crushed to his chest as he retreated back upstairs to the safety of his room.  
  
Viktor was stunned once again as it slowly sank in that he got rejected a second time. Viktor was worried. The rules of courting dictate that if you were rejected three times you were to cease pursuing. He decided to wait for Chris to return to seek his advice but at Minako’s insistence, came back again the next night.  
  
The third night went the same and, with Minako’s encouragement, returned to the onsen a fourth and a fifth time. At the fifth rejection Viktor felt he needed to back off. All the bouquets Viktor bought for Yuuri ended up in vases on the tables in the restaurant area of the onsen and Yuuri didn’t show any sign of changing his mind.  
  
It was this night that Minako made Viktor take off his boots and brought him upstairs into one of the empty banquet rooms. There she explained why she asked Viktor to come each night. She said that in these past five nights she has seen more emotion out of Yuuri than she has in the entire time she has known him. She also adds that not once in the five years she and Yuuri have lived together has she seen Yuuri smile or heard him laugh. She apologized to Viktor and pleaded with him to keep trying. Viktor agreed. As he left the banquet room, he stared at Yuuri’s closed door at the end of the hall and promised himself to help Yuuri like Yuuri helped him.  
  
The sixth, seventh  & eighth nights all went as usual, but Yuuri was different on these nights. He seemed pained to be rejecting Viktor and the last thing Viktor wanted was to upset Yuuri so much. It also didn’t help that their short interactions with one another had become public entertainment. The patrons loved the concept of a mysterious nobleman disguising his face trying to win over a shy foreign commoner. The customers filled the restaurant and waited around the front area of the onsen each night around the time that Viktor would arrive. After each rejection the patrons told their friends and relatives of the occurrence and soon Viktor and Yuuri had a whole crowd eagerly watching them.  
  
It broke Viktor’s heart to think that with all the power that he had, he couldn’t do a single thing to make this one, magnificent person happy.  


  
Now Viktor walks to the onsen for a ninth night in a row - single rose in his hand and thoughts of how he messed up badly on his mind. He feels a bitterness in his heart at himself for believing that he had Yuuri in his grasp even though he never truly had Yuuri to begin with.  
  
He sighs again and Makkachin looks up at him worriedly. The one good thing out of this whole venture is all the time he got to spend with Makkachin. Viktor attempts to smile happily at her but the gesture is pointless since she can’t see it due to his scarf. Viktor has his evening planned out after what will inevitably be the outcome of tonight. He’ll buy himself a bottle of wine and drink himself into a stupor.  
  
Tonight he is going to put his dreams of Yuuri Katsuki to rest. He takes a deep breath and readies himself heartbreak.  
  
  
  
\-------------------------------------------------  
  
  
  
Yuuri paces back and forth across the length of his room. He passes by his desk, bed and night table over & over again. He wills his pace faster to try and take his mind off of _thinking_. These past eight nights have been mentally horrendous for him and all the tension and stress is reaching its peak tonight.  


  
After Vince followed him home, Yuuri said no to Vince’s proposal of being courted out of fear for his life. Yuuri had spent the entire night before thinking that Vince was going to find and kill him and then there Vince was, standing at the front door.  
  
It was during the second night that Yuuri felt at ease. Vince explained his actions and Yuuri came to realize that Vince genuinely was a lonely man who had no intention of hurting him. Vince’s reassurance partnered with Minako mentioning during the day that she trusted Vince and all the onsen employees - upon Minako telling them that a stranger tried to court Yuuri the night before - promising to beat the hell out of this strange man if he did anything weird all made Yuuri feel comfortable and safe.  
  
Yuuri said no that time because he was in total shock and denial. There is no way a rich, handsome nobleman could possibly want to court him. Nobody could love him. He then started to believe that he truly did slip and smash his head on the ice the night of the ball and that he was still dreaming right now. Yuuri proceeded to say no for the next three nights due to still being in denial.  
  
It wasn’t until after Yuuri rejected Vince that fifth time that Yuuri finally understood that this was all real. Vince was real. The hug was real. Vince trying to court him _was real_.  
  
When Yuuri was with his Uncle he had no future. He was a slave and that was all he would be until the day he died. Now that he was free he had all these possibilities before him that he didn’t realize he had until this moment - love, friendship, family and life.

Yuuri was ecstatic at discovering this and he felt fully prepared to say yes to Vince the next day. Courting was a means of finding out whether you were a match to get married. If Yuuri & Vince didn’t feel a connection with one another then worse case scenario they wouldn’t see each other again. In other cases they may become good friends or maybe they would be a true match for one another. Getting courted by Vince would be Yuuri’s first steps toward feeling like he was living rather than just existing.  
  
That was when the fears and doubts started emerging. What if Vince went to all this effort and found out Yuuri wasn’t what he was expecting? What if Yuuri ended up loving Vince but Vince didn’t love him back? What if Yuuri couldn’t open his broken and battered heart to love at all?  
  
What ifs filled Yuuri’s mind until the point he had crushed himself with the weight of his own thoughts. He firmly believed that he couldn’t make Vince happy and he was certain that Vince would be happiest with a beautiful noble woman.  
  
On the sixth and seventh nights Yuuri wasn’t saying no to Vince anymore, he was saying no to himself. No, he is not attractive to Vince. No, no one as wonderful as Vince could want him. No, he doesn’t deserve to be loved. By the eighth night Yuuri didn’t know whose heart he was breaking more - Vince’s or his own.  
  
  
Yuuri runs his hands through his hair and bites his bottom lip. He continues his pacing and prays for Vince not to come tonight. Yuuri can’t take this torment anymore and just wants it to end. He curses himself for the small voice of hope in his head that wishes for Vince to come anyway.  
  
Yuuri looks at his clock on his night table and sees that it’s still twenty minutes before Vince will arrive. He walks to his night table and turns the clock to face toward the wall. He walks back to his desk and upon pacing back to his clock, turns it back around again to check the time.  
  
Every muscle in Yuuri’s face and body aches with fatigue from being so tense. His breathing comes out fast and ragged and he feels himself trembling with fear.  
  
_‘I can’t do this. I can’t do this! I. CAN’T. DO. THIS!!’_ Yuuri screams in his head. His heart pounds rapidly and he feels ill as he tries to walk back across his room.  
  
Yuuri sees his mother’s folded letter teetering on the edge of his desk before it falls and lands harshly on the hardwood floor. Yuuri shakily approaches, picks it up and places it back onto his desk. He is about to continue pacing but he doesn’t have the energy to properly lift his hand off the letter and he ends up knocking it back onto the floor. He grabs the letter and opens one of his desk’s drawers to place it in there for safe keeping. He holds the paper above the drawer when the bottom half of the letter folds open. His eyes are drawn to the single line of Georgi’s neat handwriting and he quickly reads it.  
  
_Always remember, Yuuri, you are worthy of love._  
  
Yuuri bursts into tears of relief. His legs give out under him and he lands on his knees on the floor - crying uncontrollably. He places the letter on his desk and shuffles over to his bed to grab his pillow and sobs into it. His glasses are pushed up into his bangs as he cries out loud sobs that are muffled by his pillow. He feels all the tension drain from his body.  
  
His sobs die down and he feels that he sits there forever when he hears Minako’s voice calling him saying that Vince is here. With his last bits of energy, he tiredly fixes his glasses on his face, tosses his pillow back onto his bed, opens his bedroom door and exits into the hallway. The whole onsen is disturbingly silent - the only sound being Yuuri’s bare feet against the wooden floors. He descends the stairs and doesn’t care that people can tell he has been crying. He sees Vince standing in the entryway with a single lavender rose in his hand and his cute dog happily wagging its tail beside him. All eyes are glued to Yuuri as he stands before Vince.  
  
Vince extends the rose out to him. Vince’s perfect, beautiful blue eyes peer into Yuuri’s brown ones as Vince sincerely asks, “Yuuri, please let me court you.”  
  
Yuuri gently takes the rose from Vince’s fingers and stares down at its petals. Yuuri wearily keeps his gaze on the rose as he whispers, “Okay.”  
  
The onsen becomes quieter and everyone seems to be holding their breath. Yuuri wonders if he actually did say anything and looks up at Vince to properly respond. When he sees Vince’s face Vince’s eyes are wide as saucers as he stares intensely at Yuuri. Yuuri wonders what expression Vince is making. He can’t tell due to Vince’s hat and scarf covering his eyebrows and mouth.  
  
Finally Vince gasps out, “really?!”  
  
Yuuri flinches back, cheeks turning red and says, “Y-yes...?”  
  
Vince cries out in happiness and crushes Yuuri in a bear hug. Everyone in the onsen starts clapping and cheering and the onsen’s chefs start banging wooden spoons against pots in excitement. Yuuri’s face burns bright red out of embarrassment.  
  
It’s so noisy in the onsen that Yuuri barely hears Vince as he whispers, “thank you, Yuuri.” into his ear. Yuuri relaxes into the embrace and tentatively hugs Viktor back. Yuuri takes a deep breath and wants nothing more than to be held by Vince forever.  
  


 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> According to google, a lavender rose means love at first sight and enchantment. \\(^_^)/ I'll be on vacation next weekend so probably no chapter D: 
> 
> Thanks for reading!


	7. There's a First for Everything

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Argh I hate daylight savings @_@ It completely throws off my sleep schedule D:
> 
> Enjoy!

Yuuri sits at the desk in his room with a pen in his hand and a paper in front of him. He quickly glances at his clock on his night table across the room. Vince won’t arrive for another forty minutes. After seeing that he has time he thinks back to when Vince started asking to court him and begins to write.  
  
_One bouquet - 50 silver. One lavender rose - 25 silver. Gla..._  
  
Yuuri’s attention is drawn away from his paper when he notices his mother’s letter teetering on the edge of his desk by his elbow. He rolls his eyes and sighs as he picks the letter up and shoves it back into one of his desk’s drawers.  
  
His mother wasn’t kidding when she mentioned in her letter that she, his father and his sister would all be watching over him everyday. They would check up on Yuuri and remind him that he is ‘worthy of love’ by using whatever little spiritual power they had to pull the letter out of his drawer and either leave it on his desk or knock it onto the floor. As much as Yuuri appreciates knowing that his family is there and that they love him, today he absolutely refuses to believe that he is worthy of being loved by Vince. The main issue being that Vince _wouldn’t stop buying him things._  
  
It has been five days since Yuuri said yes to being courted by Vince. Vince could only spend two hours with Yuuri each night, but within that short amount of time Vince would take him out and proceed to shower him with gifts.  
  
On the first night Vince showed up with his dog Makkachin in tow. Vince had a bouquet with him and he presented it to Yuuri with a gentlemanly bow. Minako offered to take care of Makkachin while the two of them went out. She took the flowers from Yuuri and stuck them in a vase. Yuuri had just barely pulled his boots and coat on when Vince eagerly yanked him through the door and started their first date.  
  
Vince’s first order of business was to buy Yuuri a new pair of glasses. Yuuri had protested saying that the ones he had now were only five years old. Yuuri tried to read Vince’s expression based on his wide eyes after mentioning the age of his glasses but to no avail. Vince’s scarf and hat had really started to become a nuisance. Yuuri objected the entire way to the store and tried his best to convince Vince to not waste his money on him, but Vince brushed him off and bought him new glasses anyway. Defeated and feeling almost guilty, Yuuri thanked Vince repeatedly for the kind gift.  
  
It was positively freezing that night and as they stepped out of the glasses store Yuuri began to shiver uncontrollably. Vince took notice of this and took Yuuri’s hand to pull him to the nearest coat store. Yuuri blanched at the prices while Vince merrily held up jackets to Yuuri to see which colour matched Yuuri best. Yuuri ended up leaving that store with a new coat, hat, scarf and gloves.  
  
Their second outing was much like the first. Vince gave Yuuri another bouquet - Vince brought a bouquet with him every night - and guided Yuuri to various stores. Despite all the protesting Yuuri did, he still came back to the onsen with a new pair of skates and several new clothes to wear.  
  
The third night they had agreed the night before to have dinner together. Unfortunately Yuuri doesn’t remember what happened after they got to the restaurant. The only thing he can vaguely recall is Vince ordering a bottle of wine. It was Yuuri’s first time drinking any alcohol and after the first sip he nearly spat the disgusting drink back out. Upon finding out how absurdly expensive the wine was and that they couldn’t bring the wine home meaning that it would go to waste, Yuuri ended up chugging the whole bottle. It was Yuuri’s first time getting drunk and he woke up the next day having slept in till 8am for the first time ever.  
  
Glancing around his room he searched for anything new - the sign that Vince bought him something. He sighed with relief when he saw nothing. He was horrified when Minako told him everything Vince had told her the night before. Vince had purchased him every dish off the menu which, being a fancy restaurant, was extremely expensive, and she told Yuuri that Vince had escorted a drunken Yuuri back home along with ten different bottles of the priciest wine from the wine store. Yuuri gave all the bottles to the onsen’s restaurant and felt miserably defeated.  
  
That night Vince wanted to spend a quiet night skating at Ice Castle. Yuuri enjoyed this outing the most out of all of them. Vince skated beautifully and Yuuri couldn’t help but be mesmerized by him. As they skated around the empty rink they spent the time talking and learning generic things about one another such as what’s your favourite colour, what’s your favourite food and do you like dogs? Apart from the bouquet before their date, the only thing Vince bought him that day was a reasonably priced hot cocoa and a pastry.  
  
As Yuuri lay in bed that night he was more calm than he had been the past few nights. He was still worried and stressed about all the things Vince bought him but he was optimistic that they were starting to get the hang of courting. Yuuri had hoped that each date could be like this fourth night. Simple, sweet, and barely any money wasted on him. His hope was crushed during their fifth outing.  
  
Vince had hired a very extravagant carriage and it brought them to the most expensive shops Russeta had to offer. Yuuri paled and clung onto Vince’s arm to prevent Vince from wandering away and buying things for him. At one point Vince started chatting away with a store owner. Yuuri tentatively looked around the shop and nearly had a heart attack when he saw the price of one small hairclip. _It was 3000 gold_. Yes the clip was beautiful and covered in many precious jewels, but Yuuri could buy out every seat in a train to take him back and forth across the continent at least three times with that kind of money.  
  
Thankfully Vince only bought him one thing that night. A tailored formal suit that Yuuri would never have an occasion to wear unless Vince invited him to a fancy event. The tailors measured Yuuri and told Vince that they could pick up the outfit at a later date.  
  
_Wine - 50 to 60 gold each. Tailored suit - 200 gold._  
  
Yuuri sighs and puts down his pen. He lifts his list and scans over it. He feels some tension lift from his shoulders from having written everything down but he’s still full of stress, frustration and worry. Yuuri really likes Vince but he doesn’t know what will happen if things continue the way they are.  
  
Yuuri’s bedroom door pushes open and Makkachin comes padding in. One of the banquet rooms is in use tonight and the occupants are so incredibly noisy that Yuuri didn’t hear Makkachin walking down the hall. Yuuri pets Makkachin until he sees Minako down the hall at the top of the stairs.  
  
“Yuuri! Vince is here!” She cups her hands around her mouth to shout down the hallway to him.  
  
“Coming!” Yuuri hollers back. Minako turns and heads back down the stairs and Yuuri lets out another sigh. He rubs Makkachin’s head one more time then stands from his desk. He heads to the front door with Makkachin following behind him.  
  
Vince stands by the entrance with his hat and scarf covering his face as usual. The customers leave them alone now which Yuuri is thankful for. The onsen got a whole flock of new customers after their courting show. It wasn’t bad, just very crowded.  
  
“Yuuri!!” Vince cheerfully waves when he sees him.  
  
“Hi Vince.” Yuuri greets as he gets closer. Yuuri is about to head to the coat room when Vince stops him.  
  
“Yuuri! I got something for you.” Yuuri can feel his body tense as he turns to fully face Vince.  
  
“Oh? What is it?” Yuuri tries his best to smile. He’s positive that it must look awkward and forced. Vince doesn’t notice as he pulls out a tiny black box from his pocket. Yuuri thinks Vince is about to propose to him when Vince takes the lid off the box. Inside is the ludicrously high-priced hair clip from the night before.  
  
“Here, do you like it?” Vince asks.  
  
Yuuri doesn’t know what to think. His mind swirls and implodes on itself. Tension builds in his body and he balls his hands into fists as he furiously yells, “VINCE!! STOP BUYING ME THINGS!!!”  
  
The whole onsen seems to freeze. No one speaks and customers stare - even Makkachin’s tail stops happily wagging as she looks up concerned at Yuuri. Vince just blinks at Yuuri and slowly places the lid back on the box. The deepest guilt washes over Yuuri and his thoughts start screaming at him about what a horrible and pathetic human being he is. He doesn’t know what to say. His whole self shuts down as he tries to distance himself from the pain of his emotions. Vince starts to take a breath in to speak but Yuuri quickly turns and makes his way back upstairs.  
  
The people in the banquet room are completely oblivious to the happenings downstairs and they laugh loudly and joyfully. It only makes Yuuri’s trip back to his room more bitter.  
  
Yuuri enters his bedroom and stands in the middle of the room. He takes both of his hands and runs them through his hair. Tears begin welling in his eyes and Yuuri becomes even more frustrated with himself because he can’t understand why he’s crying.  
  
There’s a light knock on his open door and Yuuri turns his head to see Vince in the doorway. His jacket and boots have been left downstairs but he still wears his scarf and hat.  
  
“Yuuri?” Vince asks carefully.  
  
Yuuri steps to the wall perpendicular to the door and slides down it until he sits on the floor. His knees are slightly bent and he stares unfocused at the hard wood flooring. Vince fidgets from one foot to another unsure of what to do. Finally he settles for stepping into Yuuri’s room, closing the door and sliding down the same wall an arms distance away from Yuuri.  
  
Vince clasps his fingers together loosely around his knees as he slowly and quietly begins to speak.  
  
“I’m sorry, Yuuri. I didn’t mean to upset you. It’s just that... Well... Since your a uh... a commoner I figured you’d like receiving gifts.”  
  
Yuuri takes in a shaky breath and tears start to lazily drip from his eyes. Yuuri pulls his knees to his chest and hugs them. He avoids looking at Vince, feeling too ashamed to look at the man. Yuuri feels breathless as he responds.  
  
“It’s not that, Vince. It’s just-... It’s just too much. There’s not way I can pay you back!”  
  
“I don’t want you to pay me back, Yuuri. I want to do this for you. If you’re worried about the cost I’m literally drowning in money-”  
  
“No!! It’s not just that. I mean, please don’t buy me anything unless it’s my birthday... but there’s more to it than just that.”  
  
Yuuri huffs, angry with himself. Hearing Vince say it out loud made Yuuri realize there is more to this whole situation than just Vince causing him distress by buying him all these things. Yuuri has spent nearly his entire life hiding  & ignoring his feelings & emotions and now he’s forced to dive into them head-on and understand them. It’s utterly exhausting and Yuuri doesn’t know where to start.  
  
Yuuri glances at his desk and thinks of his mother’s letter - his family. He knows the main issue stems from having lost them so he decides to start there. Vince patiently waits for Yuuri to continue. Yuuri trembles at the emotional pain he’ll feel from opening these old wounds. He stares down at the floor as he begins to talk.  
  
“My family... died when I was eleven, and ever since then no one has ever cared-”  
  
_Care_. The word resonates with Yuuri and he clings onto it. He looks straight at Vince as he desperately asks, “Vince, why do you _care_ about me so much?!”  
  
His tears fall freely and he feels such relief from vocalizing the very thing that has been bothering him.  
  
“I care because you’re the first person to care about me, Yuuri.”  
  
Yuuri is taken aback by that. Vince slightly hugs his knees closer to himself. The only sounds are Yuuri’s sniffles and the muffled voices of the loud customers in the banquet room down the hall.  
  
Now Vince is the one to stare at the floor. “My parents were murdered when I was six. To this day I still don’t know who was responsible. Given my status as a ‘noble’, people view me as being strong, mighty and powerful. They view me as something more than human when I’m not. Yuuri, you are the first person to see and treat me as another human being.”  
  
Vince’s crystal blue eyes look at Yuuri and Yuuri averts his gaze.  
  
“Wouldn’t you prefer a beautiful noble woman instead?” Yuuri sniffles.  
  
Vince lets out a huff of amusement and says, “You’d be surprised how many beautiful noble women would receive everything I have bought you and still demand more from me.”  
  
Yuuri turns his head to Vince who is now staring across the room completely lost in thought. Yuuri’s tears have stopped falling and his face feels crusty from the damp trails his tears took. Yuuri reaches a hand to Vince’s face and yanks his scarf down to his chest and shoves his hat up to sit more loosely on his head. Gorgeous silver locks of hair fall down in front of Vince’s left eye and Yuuri can’t help but be mesmerized by Vince. It’s Yuuri’s first time since the ball seeing Vince’s full face and Yuuri had forgotten how perfect it is. Yuuri is happy to finally be able to read Vince’s expression properly and he scans Vince’s mouth, eyebrows and eyes to see what Vince is thinking. Yuuri realizes that Vince is looking at him confused and Yuuri blushes bright red and turns his gaze back to the floor.  
  
“Now I can see your face.” He says quickly.  
  
Out of the corner of his eye he sees Vince smile and dig into a pocket in his pants. He pulls out the box containing the expensive hairclip and opens it. Vince’s hand comes close to Yuuri’s face and Yuuri scrunches his eyes shut. He feels Vince’s hand come under his bangs and Vince brushes them up on top of his head. Vince uses his other hand to pick up the hair clip and he pins Yuuri’s bangs atop his head.  
  
“There! Now I can see yours! You look down too much and since I’m taller than you I can’t see your face.”  
  
As if to prove Vince’s point, Yuuri looks down at the floor and blushes even more.  
  
They fall into silence for a few minutes. Yuuri fiddles with his fingers unsure of what to say and feels thankful when Vince starts to talk.  
  
“So Yuuri, is Minako a relative of yours?”  
  
“No. Apart from us both being born in Hasetsu, we’re complete strangers that met by chance. In a lot of ways Minako reminds me of my older sister, Mari.”  
  
Yuuri rests his chin on his knees. He hugs his legs closer to himself with one arm while the other arm rests beside him - fingers lazily drawing circles on the floor. He has never talked about his family to anyone except to tell them that they passed away, but here with Vince he feels like he can open up to him.  
  
“My sister was nineteen when I was born. My parents only planned on having one child but then I came along. I remember Mari being really strong. She used to carry me on her back and she’d walk me all around Hasetsu. We’d spend hours talking and she’d answer any question I had. She was tough too. She had a way of putting rude, disrespectful people in their place with just a few words and a good glare.”  
  
Yuuri laughs softly at the memory.  
  
“She sounds like a wonderful person.” Vince says. Yuuri hums a noise of agreement.  
  
“What about you, Vince? Do you have any family?”  
  
Vince leans his head back and gazes up at the ceiling.  
  
“No, both my parents had no siblings so I don’t have any aunts or uncles. Ah! I did adopt a teen recently though. Both his parents were murdered too. He’s still recovering from the loss of his parents, but once he warms up to you he’s really nice!”  
  
Vince smiles as he talks about his son and Yuuri can’t help but smile back.  
  
“You’re really kind, Vince. Making sure your adopted son isn’t alone despite being lonely yourself.”  
  
“...Viktor.” Vince says.  
  
“Huh?”  
  
Vince’s expression falls and he seems conflicted with himself as he stares at his hands. He looks both sad and fearful as he continues.  
  
“My real name. It’s Viktor.”  
  
Yuuri lets out a laugh and smiles as he replies, “The King has the same name as you.”  
  
Yuuri wonders if wording his sentence that way is insulting to the King, but the bright smile Viktor is giving him washes his worries away.  
  
There’s a knock on his door and Minako’s voice calls Yuuri’s name. Yuuri stands, quickly scrubs at the tear tracks on his face and opens the door. The whole onsen is quiet and most of the lights are off. Minako stands there with Makkachin beside her.  
  
“Yuuri, I closed up early today. There’s a blizzard outside.”  
  
“What?” Yuuri glances out the hall’s windows and only sees white. He looks behind him out his bedroom window and sees the same mass of white. Viktor is standing with his scarf and hat covering his face again.  
  
“I guess I should get going.” Viktor states.  
  
“The blizzard has gotten worse since I closed the onsen. It would probably be best if you stay the night, Vince. Right, Yuuri?” Minako stares intently at Yuuri, sly smile on her lips.  
  
Yuuri looks at Viktor then looks back out the window. It’s really bad. The last thing Yuuri needs or wants is for Viktor to die in this snow storm. Yuuri’s heart clenches painfully as he thinks about what his life would be like without Viktor.  
  
“Please! I’d like for you to stay the night!” Yuuri demands, nearly on the verge of tears at the thought of Viktor dying. Viktor chuckles.  
  
“I don’t see how I can say no.” He replies.  
  
“It’s settled then!” Minako declares. She looks at Makkachin and asks, “Makkachin, who do you want to sleep with?” Makkachin excitedly looks at all three of them but settles her gaze back on Minako and wags her tail faster.  
  
“Good choice!” Minako comments. She motions to Makkachin to follow her and starts down the hallway to her room.  
  
“Goodnight you two!” She beams.  
  
“Just to warn you, she will wake you up at 6am.” Viktor cautions.  
  
“I’ll keep that in mind!” She laughs.  
  
“Goodnight!” Yuuri calls. He turns to Viktor and says, “I’ll get some bed sheets and something for you to wear. Wait here for a minute?”  
  
Viktor nods and Yuuri rushes down the hall and stairs to get to the storage closet. He grabs an onsen robe, a pillow and all the blankets  & bed sheets the closet has. Once he has everything piled in his arms he hurries back to his room where he finds Viktor - his scarf pulled down - standing by the desk with a paper in his hand. Viktor holds the paper up for Yuuri to see and questions,  
  
“You wrote down how much everything I bought you cost?”  
  
“VINCE!! I mean Viktor!!” Yuuri launches the pile of sheets in his arms onto his bed and quickly snatches the paper from Viktor’s hand. Yuuri holds it to his chest, face flushing while Viktor laughs. Yuuri grabs the onsen robe from atop the bed sheet pile and hands it to Viktor.  
  
“Go put this on in the bathroom!” Yuuri yells, embarrassed. Viktor takes the clothing and leaves with a big grin on his face.  
  
After Viktor is gone, Yuuri swiftly whips his clothes off and rapidly pulls on his pajamas. He makes sure to wear a long sleeved shirt to cover his scars. He wasn’t ready to bring up that part of his life to Viktor just yet.  
  
Yuuri then changes the sheets on his bed and starts piling blanket after blanket onto his floor to make a soft bedding to sleep on. He bundles his clothes and the dirty bed sheets into his arms and waits for Viktor to be done in the bathroom.  
  
Viktor comes back wearing the onsen robe and carrying his badly folded clothes in his hands. Yuuri’s eyes immediately fall on Viktor’s partially exposed chest and he begins to trail his eyes up and down Viktor’s body. _‘How is he so handsome?’_ Viktor smiles, noticing Yuuri’s staring and asks,  
  
“So which room am I sleeping in?”  
  
“This one.” Yuuri replies, peeling his gaze away to make eye contact with Viktor.  
  
“Oh! We’re sharing a room?”  
  
“Yes. Are you okay with that?”  
  
“Yes! It’s just...” Viktor looks at Yuuri’s small bed. “Can we both fit on the bed?”  
  
“No.”  
  
“Oh... So where am I sleeping?” Yuuri shifts the bundle of laundry around to free one of  his arms and he points to his bed. Viktor’s brows furrow and he questions,  
  
“Then, where are you sleeping?” Yuuri points to the mound of blankets with a pillow thrown on top on the floor.  
  
“I can’t make you sleep on the floor!” Viktor gasps.  
  
“You’re my guest, I can’t make you sleep on the floor.” Yuuri counters.  
  
“But-”  
  
“Just get in the bed.” Yuuri chuckles. He drops the laundry on the floor and pulls back the clean blankets on his bed. Viktor tries to protest but Yuuri counters saying this is the least he can do for all Viktor has bought for him. Defeated, Viktor places his clothes on Yuuri’s desk and slides into the bed. Yuuri pulls the blanket up and tucks Viktor in. Viktor looks at Yuuri and Yuuri can see the tired look of being lonely for too many years in Viktor’s eyes. Yuuri gazes into his eyes for a few seconds longer.  
  
“I’ll be right back.” Yuuri says, stooping down to scoop the laundry into his arms. Yuuri quickly goes to the washroom and dumps the laundry in the hamper located in the bathroom.  
  
When he returns he turns out the lights and slides into his bed on the floor. He takes off his glasses and pulls out the hair clip and places them beside his pillow. He shuffles around to get comfy and closes his eyes. He’s more tired than he realized - dealing with emotions is exhausting.  
  
He hears Viktor shuffling around on the bed and Yuuri wearily opens his eyes to see. Viktor lies on his stomach at the edge of the bed looking down at Yuuri. Yuuri can see the blizzard through the window above the bed and it shows no sign of stopping.  
  
“I can sleep on the floor.” Viktor whispers. Yuuri lightly laughs.  
  
“It’s fine.” Yuuri murmurs.  
  
Viktor frees his arm from the sheets and lays it on the floor. His hand is turned upward and he splays his fingers out toward Yuuri. Yuuri looks at it then moves his arm out from under his blanket to rest it in Viktor’s hand. Viktor loosely wraps his fingers around Yuuri’s hand and gently rubs his thumb across the back of Yuuri’s hand.  
  
“Goodnight, Yuuri.”  
  
“Goodnight, Viktor.”

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I aged Mari up so that her ghostly spirit form is the same age as in the anime. ^o^
> 
> Thanks for reading!


	8. The Morning After

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry for the delay >_< I was so busy last weekend that I didn't have any time to type! Thank you for your patience! Enjoy!

“Viktor.”  
  
Viktor’s mind wakes from slumber. His eyes are still closed and his thoughts tell him it’s way too early to be awake.  
  
He’s extremely disoriented. For one thing he never sleeps or wakes lying on his stomach or facing this direction. The other is the male voice calling his name to rouse him from sleep. Viktor knows for a fact that his female maids fight with each other to decide who gets to wake him up in the morning, and they never call him by his name - only ‘my King’.  
  
“Viktor.”  
  
Viktor blearily opens his. He sees the hardwood floor of Yuuri’s room and remembers where he is. Yuuri’s blanket pile bed is gone and he can see Yuuri’s legs standing before him. Viktor slowly turns his head to look up and sees a fidgeting Yuuri. His bangs are pinned up again with the hairclip and he’s holding a tray of food.  
  
_‘Did he bring me breakfast in bed?’_ Viktor thinks, pleasantly surprised. Viktor, despite being a King, never gets breakfast in bed. He has to get dressed and go down many staircases to the dining room to get breakfast.  
  
Yuuri worriedly starts talking fast, “Viktor, I’m sorry. We didn’t establish a time when you wanted to wake up and you looked so tired that I didn’t want to wake you and-”  
  
“What time is it?” Viktor groggily asks, cutting Yuuri off. His voice is quiet and hoarse from not being used all night.  
  
Yuuri bites his bottom lip, “9am.”  
  
Viktor’s eyes widen and he flings himself upright and sits on the edge of the bed. His head spins and vision blurs from getting up too fast. He slowly blinks trying to get his vision to come back and with his heart pounding thinks about what he’s going to do.  
  
Viktor was hoping Makkachin would wake everyone up at 6am and then he’d quickly run to Ice Castle and sneak back to his room. He could get away with not answering his locked bedroom door for about half an hour, but after three hours someone was bound to break into his room and find out he wasn’t there.  
  
Viktor lets out the breath he was holding and lets the panic fade away. This Kingdom survived without him living in it for three years, it can manage a few more hours without him.  
  
Viktor comes out of his thoughts and realizes that a panicked Yuuri has been apologizing profusely to him this entire time.  
  
“Yuuri! It’s okay! I’m just surprised I slept in for so long. I usually wake up at six.” Viktor soothes.  
  
“Are you sure? You don’t have anything important to do this morning?” Yuuri frets.  
  
“I’m sure. I don’t have anything to do until four.” Viktor lies.  
  
Yuuri relaxes a little and places the tray of food at the foot of the bed. He grabs the bed’s pillow, props it up against the headboard and instructs Viktor to sit in the bed and lean against the pillow. He covers Viktor’s legs with the blanket, unfolds legs from the bottom of the food tray and sits it over Viktor’s lap before taking a seat on the edge of the bed.  
  
Viktor stares down at the tray. There’s a delicious looking omelette filled with vegetables and covered in cheese on a big plate, a small bowl of fruit and a glass bottle of milk. Viktor picks up the bottle of milk and examines it.  
  
“It’s custom to drink milk after soaking in the onsen. Minako imports those from Hasetsu.” Yuuri explains.  
  
Viktor smiles, curiosity satisfied and places the bottle back on the tray. He looks at Yuuri and notices small dark circles under Yuuri’s eyes.  
  
“What time did you wake up, Yuuri?”  
  
“Four fifty-five.” He answers.  
  
“So early?!” Viktor gasps. “Is it because you had to sleep on the floor?”  
  
“No, no! I’ve always had an issue with waking up early.”  
  
Yuuri smiles softly to reassure Viktor that it’s not his fault. Viktor still frowns though. He wonders if Yuuri sleeps in his arms would Yuuri be able to sleep better? Viktor’s heart flutters at the thought of waking next to Yuuri each morning. Then he remembers something important.  
  
“Oh ya. Yuuri, I’m going to have to ask that when we’re in public you still call me Vince.”  
  
Yuuri gives him a quick glance, but accepts the odd request. “Okay, Vince.”  
  
“But when we’re in private like this you can call me Viktor!”  
  
Yuuri furrows his brows. “That’s just going to confuse me!”  
  
“I know you’ll manage!” Viktor smiles. Yuuri huffs and looks at Viktor’s tray.  
  
“Your food is going to get cold.” He says, picking up the fork and knife from the tray. He begins cutting up the omelette into bite size pieces. Once done he stabs one of the pieces with the fork and hands the fork to Viktor. Viktor eats the warm omelette and can’t believe how good it tastes.  
  
“This is delicious!” Viktor exclaims. “Who made this?” He asks. He just might have to hire this chef to work for him.  
  
Yuuri blushes, small happy smile gracing his lips as he says timidly, “Oh! I did.”  
  
_“You made this?!”_ Viktor shouts. Viktor is so incredibly touched. Yuuri made food for _him_. People only make food for Viktor because they’re paid to or because he is the King. Viktor stares at Yuuri with pure adoration in his eyes.  
  
Yuuri is blushing and looking off to the side and he mutters modestly about how his cooking isn’t that great. Yuuri spent the night before asking why Viktor cared so much about him and Yuuri just gave Viktor every reason why in these past five minutes since waking up. Viktor is so overwhelmed with emotions of affection that he needs to express it to Yuuri somehow otherwise he’ll burst!  
  
Viktor leans as far over the tray as possible, snakes one hand around Yuuri’s shoulders and the other into his beautiful dark locks, pulls him close and places a kiss against his lips.  
  
Viktor rests their foreheads together and whispers, “thank you, Yuuri. This means a lot to me.”  
  
Viktor stays there for a while just fully feeling Yuuri’s presence. Then Viktor’s heart sinks. _‘Was that too soon? How will Yuuri react?’_ Viktor gently pulls away and opens his mouth to start apologizing but pauses once he sees Yuuri’s face.  
  
Yuuri isn’t looking at him, but he has the most endearing, shy smile on his lips. The fingers of one of his hands softly hovers near his bottom lip as if to protect the sensation of the kiss from fading.  
  
“You’re welcome.” He quietly murmurs. Viktor releases all the tension in his body and smiles lovingly at Yuuri.  
  
Viktor knows with all his heart that he is in love with Yuuri. Viktor will wait patiently for as long as it takes for Yuuri to heal from whatever wounds he has from his past. Viktor also silently promises himself to take things slow and to wait for Yuuri to be ready to fully accept his love.  
  
In the meantime, Viktor continues eating his breakfast and enjoys listening to Yuuri talk about what he did that morning.  
  
  
\--------------------------------------------------  
  
  
Viktor leaves the onsen at 10am. He shares a tender parting embrace with Yuuri before he and Makkachin begin to make their way back home.  
  
The warm sun shines brightly and reflects blindingly off all the white snow that had fallen overnight. Thankfully for Viktor, workers have already removed snow from most of the streets. The few streets that the workers haven’t gotten to yet have a thick layer of snow that measures halfway up Viktor’s thighs.  
  
Viktor is in complete bliss. He doesn’t want what he’s feeling right now to fade away just yet so he doesn’t go to Ice Castle but instead decides to walk all the way back home. Once he’s on the main streets it’s a straightforward path to his Castle. Makkachin doesn’t mind the detour one bit.  
  
As Viktor walks he tries to remember what Yuuri’s lips felt like. He knows it’ll be a while before they kiss again. If he wants to take things slow he’ll have to wait for Yuuri to be ready and to initiate the kiss.  
  
It takes nearly two hours for Viktor to reach the gates of his Castle. The trek up the pine tree surrounded mountain pathway is harder than Viktor expects and he breathes heavily as he nears two guards standing behind the closed iron barred gates of his Castle.  
  
They anxiously draw their swords and point them toward Viktor - not that it helps much considering they were on opposite sides of the gate. When Viktor eventually comes to a stop in front of the gate one of the guards unnecessarily yells, “HALT! State your business!”  
  
Viktor pulls down his scarf to reveal his face and says, “Will you please open the gates for me?”  
  
The guards immediately recognize him and the guard who spoke quickly sheaths his sword.  
  
“Yes! Sir Majesty-....King! Yes! Right away, your Highness!” The guard hollers.  
  
He turns to his partner who is still frozen in shock and smacks his partner’s shoulder to get him to snap out of it.  
  
“Don’t just stand there! Go tell the others the King has been found!”  
  
“Y-Yes of course! Right away!”  
  
That guard sheaths his sword and frantically dashes around unsure of which direction to go first to start informing people of the King’s whereabouts, all the while the guard who is supposed to open the gates for Viktor is busy yelling at his partner to hurry up. The two guards seem more like a pair of comedians rather than intimidating guards. Finally the gates start opening and distant yells of, ‘the King has been found’ can be heard traveling toward the Castle. Viktor makes a mental note to have a word with the Minister in charge of his Castle’s security. Once there is enough space, Viktor walks through his Castle gates for the first time in his life - all other times he has passed through the gates has been either in a carriage or on horseback - and makes his way indoors.  
  
Inside the Castle is complete chaos. Every occupant in the Castle is running around either telling others the King is back or trying to confirm if said information is true. The people who spot him gasp out a, ‘King Viktor!’ before turning and running back down whichever hallway they came from screaming that the information is indeed correct.  
  
Makkachin wanders off to the kitchen hoping to get food despite being fed that morning at the onsen. Viktor continues to the grand stairwell and begins his long ascent to his room. He’s on the landing between the second and third floors when someone calls down to him from the third floor.  
  
“Viktor.”  
  
Viktor looks up and sees Chris.  
  
“Chris! You’re back!”  
  
“I thought I told you not to do anything stupid while I was away.” Chris replies, not sharing the same happy enthusiasm as Viktor. Viktor continues up the stairs towards Chris.  
  
“I haven’t been doing anything stupid while you were away.” Viktor reaches Chris and Chris follows along beside him.  
  
“Oh really? So being missing from the Castle for six hours and causing all of this,” Chris gestures to all the mayhem around them, “is not considered as something stupid to you?!”  
  
“I have a reason for that.” Viktor happily replies, then adds, “I’ve actually been gone since last night.”  
  
Chris glares at Viktor completely unimpressed. “Start explaining.”  
  
“You see, Chris, I-”  
  
“VIKTOR!!!!!” Yakov’s booming voice roars behind them. Viktor  & Chris have just reached a stair landing and turn to face Yakov at the bottom of the steps. Servants, guards and even court Ministers all gravitate toward the stairwell to see what’s going on. Yakov’s face is red with fury. He begins scolding Viktor and starts making his way up the steps toward the landing.  
  
“Viktor, you explain to me where you were this instant! Is this the reason you’ve been going to bed early these past couple of weeks?! You are a King yet you act like an irresponsible child!-”  
  
Little pitter patters of running feet can be heard and soon Yuri appears at the bottom of the steps where Yakov was.  
  
“Viktor!” He yells and dashes up the stairs past the ranting Yakov. He reaches Viktor and punches Viktor hard on the arm.  
  
“Ow! Yuri!” Viktor complains, rubbing his arm.  
  
“Viktor, don’t ignore me!” Yakov snaps, reaching the landing. Yuri takes the chance while Viktor is distracted to punch Viktor on the arm again - in the same spot.  
  
“OW!”  
  
Yakov firmly plants himself in front of Viktor and hisses, “you tell me what you were doing _now_!”  
  
Viktor looks from Yakov’s furious face, to Yuri’s angry expression, to Chris who is still not impressed with him, to all the Castle occupants either on or around the stairwell on different floors waiting to hear what their King has to say. Viktor knows there is no way he can keep it a secret any longer.  
  
He smiles and says, “I’m courting someone.”  
  
Theirs an audible intake of breath and people begin to whisper excitedly to one another. Yuri looks disgusted and Chris grins as he pieces together in his mind what Viktor has been up to. Yakov’s face breaks out into the first smile Viktor has ever seen on the man.  
  
“Oh Vitya! Where did you meet her? At the ball?! When can we meet her? It’s a woman, right?!” Yakov quickly asks a bunch of questions. Viktor can only laugh.  
  
“Nope, it’s a man.”  
  
“Viktor! You’re supposed to be producing an heir!” Yakov’s smile vanishes in the blink of an eye.  
  
Yakov continues pulling more information out of Viktor and tells Viktor that he’s not allowed to see his lover every night. Viktor knew this would happen, but he also knew that Yakov would come up with a compromise to the situation. Yakov decides to rearrange Viktor’s schedule to give Viktor Wednesday afternoons and all day Saturdays to spend with his lover. It’s not as often as Viktor would like, but it’s better than the short two hours every night he’s currently doing.  
  
After the schedule is decided, they bicker back and forth for a while with Yakov saying that Viktor needs to bring guards with him when he visits his love and Viktor stating that he doesn’t. Chris comes up with a solution and offers to make a protection charm for Viktor to carry with him.  
  
With everything settled, Viktor writes a quick note telling Yuuri that his schedule has been readjusted and that he would see him on Saturday. Viktor entrusts the note to Chris who delivers it to the onsen in a disguise Chris created with magic.  
  
After bathing, changing clothes and having lunch, Yakov nags Viktor to get some work done. By now the whole Castle is finally settled down from its former panic and exhilarated whispers about the King’s secret lover flood the halls. Viktor is about to start working when Chris comes back from his delivery and enters Viktor's study asking for all the details of what happened while he was away.  
  
Chris laughs so hard during the retelling that Viktor worries his mage might die from asphyxiation. They end up chatting for so long that dinner comes along and Viktor hasn’t gotten any work done.  
  
After dinner Viktor is back at his desk in his study. The sky outside is dark and the blue and purple lights from the Castle shines in through the study’s large windows. A lamp on his desk and another lamp standing behind him gives him enough light to see his work.  
  
He sifts through various letters in hopes of finding something interesting to read and respond to. He finds a letter from Cormac and shudders. The King  & Queen of Cormac have sent eight letters so far trying to arrange a time to visit with their baby daughter. Viktor would lie and write a response back saying the guest wing in his Castle is currently full with other visiting guests - the truth being no one is visiting at the moment and the whole wing is vacant.  
  
The problem with the Cormac royals visiting his Kingdom is that he can’t kick them out for fear of losing face, meaning that the Cormac royals could potentially live in his Castle for years and he could do nothing about it.  
  
Viktor sets that letter aside unsure how to respond. He can only lie so many times before it’s too suspicious. He can tell them he is currently courting someone, but that doesn’t mean that he is permanently attached to the one he is courting. There’s still a chance a certain baby could come between them. Viktor shudders once again and sorts through more letters.  
  
He finds a particularly interesting looking envelope and opens it. Inside is a request from Edatia for an arranged marriage between any of their five princesses and Yuri. Viktor sighs in frustration and piles that letter upon a stack of other Yuri arranged marriage requests from other various Kingdoms.  
  
Viktor hates arranged marriages. Viktor is thankful that Yakov’s status was just low enough that he never had the authority to arrange a marriage for Viktor. Viktor has no idea what his parents would’ve done nor any idea what Yuri’s parents had in mind, but Viktor refuses to decide Yuri’s future for him. Viktor just needs to find a way to tell these other Kingdom’s to back off without insulting them.  
  
Needing a pick-me-up after all these dreary letters, Viktor starts searching for a Phichit letter. Shortly after his visit to Talia to meet the recently found Prince and his two mages, Viktor received the most formal sounding letter from Phichit. Viktor wouldn’t have thought anything of it except that he had met Phichit and knew that the Prince had such a happy and bubbly personality.  
  
Viktor wrote back thanking Phichit and told Phichit not to forget who he is. Viktor wanted Phichit to understand that it’s not the title ‘Prince’ that defines who he is, but rather it is he as the person he is who puts meaning into the title ‘Prince’. Viktor wrote that letter to Phichit in the few days before meeting Yuuri. Since Phichit was raised in an orphanage rather than a Palace, Viktor hoped to convey to Phichit to not trap himself in royalty and end up lonely and isolated like himself.  
  
Phichit seemed to appreciate Viktor’s letter so much that Phichit now sends Viktor a letter everyday about anything and everything.  
  
Viktor finally finds Phichit’s letter and opens it. In this letter Phichit talks about SkaTra, his favourite performing troupe. This troupe is well known for its quality and its group of mages that provide captivating special effects. This year the troupe is performing Phichit’s favourite musical, ‘The King and The Skater.’ The mages freeze the large stage and the whole show is presented on ice.  
  
Viktor smiles at the title of the show since it relates so much to his own situation with Yuuri. He pulls out a paper and begins writing to Phichit about Yuuri.  
  
Partway through his letter, Yuri barges into his study. He walks over to the armchairs and sits in the chair facing toward Viktor so the two of them can see each other. Yuri kicks off his dress shoes and brings his feet up into the chair with him.  
  
“Hi, Yuri.” Viktor says, not looking away from his writing.  
  
“Viktor.” Yuri acknowledges.  
  
“No Otabek today?” Viktor comments, noticing the absence of the knight.  
  
“He’s off drinking with JJ.” Yuri looks out the window towards the Kingdom and continues, “Telling Otabek to do anything other than guarding me you’d swear I just told him I was going to painfully rip out all his teeth.”  
  
“You didn’t go with them?” Viktor distractedly asks.  
  
“No. I'm not old enough to go to a bar. Chris went too. They would’ve invited you but you didn’t get any work done today.” Yuri smirks evilly at Viktor, but Viktor isn’t interested in drinking unless his Yuuri is there. Yuri doesn’t like having conversations often so Viktor places his pen down to give Yuri his full attention.  
  
“So what’s the occasion that they all went out drinking?”  
  
“...JJ’s getting married.”  
  
“Oh? When did he pop the question?” Viktor asks.  
  
“Last night before the whole Castle found out you were gone.” Yuri glares at him. Yuri still hasn’t forgiven him for that. Viktor smiles at him. _‘Since we’re on the topic...’_ Viktor thinks.  
  
“So, Yuri, why do you hate JJ so much?”  
  
There’s a pause and Yuri looks out the window again. After three minutes of no response, Viktor gently picks up his pen to occupy the time writing while waiting for a reply. Viktor reads what he wrote to see where he left off and the instant he places his pen to the paper Yuri starts to speak.  
  
“JJ wouldn’t kill that bastard Baldemar when I ordered him to.” His words come out choked and he has frustrated tears brimming in his eyes.  
  
“Yuri.” Viktor places his pen down and stands from his desk. He makes his way to the teen and holds his arms out.  
  
Yuri looks up at him with tear filled eyes and hollers, “I don’t need a hug!!!”  
  
Viktor stands the teen up from the chair despite his protest and hugs the boy to his chest. Yuri doesn’t embrace Viktor back but his tears are falling now. He sobs as quietly as he can into Viktor’s chest and Viktor holds him even closer. Viktor’s respect for JJ rises to new levels. It couldn’t have been easy denying the grieving Prince’s order.  
  
Once Yuri gets his sniffles under control, he pulls away from Viktor, picks up his shoes and walks with his sock covered feet to the door.  
  
Viktor doesn’t want Yuri to go to bed in such a sad mood so he tries to think of something to hopefully distract the teen from thoughts of his parents.  
  
“Oh, Yuri!” The teen stops with his hand on the door handle.  
  
“Your birthday is coming up in less than two months. Is there anything you want?” Even if Yuri doesn’t have a response right now, at least it will give him something else to think about.  
  
“...My grandpa.”

Yuri says it so quietly that Viktor almost doesn’t hear it. The moment Yuri is finished he opens the door and leaves the study.  
  
  


 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! ^o^


	9. Birthday Celebration

It had been scary how fast word traveled around the Kingdom that the King was courting someone. On the first Saturday since Viktor’s schedule had been rearranged, he arrived early in the morning at the onsen - protective charm made by Chris hanging from his neck - and already Minako was gushing about the gossip she heard.  
  
The gossip got worse when the onsen opened and Minako, along with a large group of customers, all gathered together in the lobby of the onsen and discussed rumors. Viktor sat on the stairs waiting for Yuuri and listened in amazed confusion as the theories changed Yuuri from being a nobleman into a noblewoman, and then into a noblewoman dressed as a nobleman. Foreigner to local, aristocrat to royalty, beautiful to ugly - their stories about who Yuuri was changed so drastically in such a short span of time that it was both entertaining and horrifying to listen to. Viktor never knew his citizens had such a huge interest in his love life.  
  
Thankfully their speculation was nowhere near to guessing that he was the King and Yuuri was his love. His citizens just couldn’t fathom the idea that their beloved King would court someone of such low status, let alone disguising himself and leaving the safety of his Castle just to be with his love.  
  
Unfortunately news also traveled fast to neighbouring Kingdoms that Viktor was courting someone. In the weeks leading to Yuri’s birthday, Viktor received countless requests for visits - every one of them hoping to steal Viktor's love for themselves. Viktor, sadly, couldn’t deny their visits for fear of seeming rude and soon his guest wing filled with royals all vying for his attention. The Cormac royals visited as well, but luckily Viktor’s guest wing was full for real this time and they had to seek accommodations elsewhere in the Kingdom. Visiting royals also took the chance to pester Viktor about their letters for Yuri’s hand in marriage. It was frustrating and exhausting and Viktor counted down every second until he could see Yuuri again.  
  
Viktor loved spending longer amounts of time with Yuuri, despite seeing Yuuri less often. Viktor got to learn subtle things about Yuuri that Viktor never would’ve noticed in the short two hour outings he did before. Like how Yuuri shyly really likes holding hands but he’s too embarrassed or afraid to admit it.  
  
With Yuuri, Viktor felt completely free. His smiles came so easily when he was with Yuuri. Every parting left Viktor wanting more. Another minute, another touch, another breath filled with Yuuri’s scent. The weeks flew by in a blur of high stress and high bliss that soon Yuri’s birthday had finally come.  
  
For Yuri’s birthday, Yuuri baked him a batch of cookies as a present. Viktor gave the cookies to Yuri on the morning of his birthday and Yuri fed one to a potential future wife that particularly irked him to make sure they weren’t poisoned - making her think he liked her instead of his true malicious intent. She only began annoying Yuri more after that. Yuri along with Otabek ended up hiding in one of the Castle’s many sitting rooms for the majority of the day and ate the cookies together.  
  
Yuri’s grandfather, Nikolai, and cousin, Mila, didn’t arrive until 4pm that day. They would’ve arrived sooner but Viktor had no space in his Castle to accommodate them. He ended up having to rework two sitting rooms into bedrooms for them. Due to the Castle’s hectic schedule, non of them got to see one another until dinner that night.  
  
  
\-------------------------------------------------  
  
  
Viktor enters the dining room to find Nikolai and Mila already there. They wear formal attire for tonight - Nikolai in a well fitted suit and Mila in a dark blue ball gown that matches her eye colour; making her red hair stand out beautifully. Mila’s parents passed away due to illness when she was young and Nikolai has taken care of her ever since then.  
  
“Nikolai, Mila, forgive me for being late.” Viktor says, approaching the two.  
  
“There’s no need to apologize, we weren’t waiting long. Besides, Yuri still isn’t here yet.” Nikolai comments.  
  
Viktor takes a deep breath and smiles - finally letting himself relax after a stressful day of dealing with people. Viktor then turns to Mila.  
  
“I believe this is the first time we’re meeting. It’s nice to meet you, Mila.” Viktor says smiling. In response, Mila lowers her head and does a well practiced curtsy.  
  
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, too, King Viktor.” She replies with her head still bowed.  
  
“There’s no need to be so formal, Mila, we’re all family here. Viktor is fine.” He responds.  
  
She lifts her head and smiles brightly at him.  
  
“Okay, Uncle Viktor.”  
  
Viktor is taken aback at being called Uncle. Viktor has never had family before so all of this is foreign and new to him. Mila gently moves toward Viktor with her arms raised and Viktor, understanding her gesture, follows suit and they hug each other.  
  
Viktor thinks it’s a shame. Mila’s role in life is to be married off to whomever the ruler of Saints wishes in order to strengthen relations with other Kingdoms. She is little more than a pawn - an object. Viktor knows Yuri would never do that to his cousin, but when dealing with foreign affairs, anything could happen to force Yuri’s hand.  
  
There’s a knock on one of the dining room’s doors and Yuri enters with Otabek behind him. Mila and Viktor part from their hug and Mila makes her way over to Yuri.  
  
“Hey, little cousin!” Mila smiles.  
  
“Hi, Mila.” Yuri stiffly responds. It has been years since he last saw her. Mila laughs at him, swiftly picks the teen up  like a bride and proceeds to lift him above her head. Viktor is really taken aback by that, and so is Otabek judging from his slight change in expression. Nikolai is completely unfazed.  
  
“PUT ME DOWN YOU HAG!!” Yuri screams at her while Mila laughs louder in response. Nikolai takes the chance while the teens are busy to quietly speak to Viktor.  
  
“Viktor, I cannot thank you enough for taking care of Yuri. I’ve already lost both of my children, I can’t begin to imagine what I would’ve done if I lost a grandchild too...” He trails off with a pained expression on his face.  
  
“Don’t worry about it, Nikolai. I’m happy to take care of him.” Viktor smiles.  
  
“OTABEK, PUT ME DOWN RIGHT NOW!!!” Yuri hollers. Nikolai and Viktor turn to see Otabek lifting Yuri up like a princess to see if Yuri’s just really light or if Mila’s really strong. Mila’s bubbly laughter echoes off the walls and bounces off the high ceilings of the room.  
  
Servants enter the room and place their dinner on the table. Yuri hugs his grandpa, introduces Otabek to him & Mila, and they all sit down to eat. Tonight's dinner is for family and they will have another dinner the following night with Chris, JJ, and the others. They chat through dinner and move to a small, comfy sitting room with lower ceilings for desserts and tea. They continue to talk late into the evening. At one point, when Yakov pops his head into the room, Viktor convinces him to stay in the hopes that Mila's contagious laughter will make Yakov smile. Yakov agrees to join them and sits in a plush armchair across the low, rectangular table from Viktor. Mila & Nikolai share a couch to Viktor’s right and Yuri & Otabek sit to his left.  
  
Viktor’s stomach hurts from laughing so much. The conversation slowly dies down and everyone takes much needed sips from their tea. The sound of cups clinking on saucers fill the room and everyone takes a moment to feel the fatigue settling into their bodies.  
  
“I wish I could see both of you more often.” Yuri whispers, breaking the silence. He sadly stares down at the teacup and saucer in his hands. Mila smiles.  
  
“You know, Yuri, we could always get married. Then we’d be together forever!” She jokes.  
  
“EW! Gross!” Yuri yells. Mila bursts out into a fit of laughter that soon has everyone else laughing again. A thought pops into Viktor’s mind that he finds absolutely hilarious so he turns to Yuri to share.  
  
“You know, Yuri, I could always adopt Mila. Then you’d be brother and sister!” He laughs.  
  
The whole room goes silent and Yuri looks at him with hope filled eyes.  
  
“You can do that?” He asks.  
  
 _Oh shit._  
  
Mila gasps, clasping her hands together.  
  
“Would you really?!” Mila breaths, brightest smile of the night gracing her lips.  
  
 _Oh shit._  
  
“I would be forever grateful.” Nikolai adds, tears of happiness lining his eyes.  
  
 _OH SHIT!_  
  
Viktor desperately looks to Yakov sitting across from him.  
  
“Yakov! I couldn’t possibly adopt any more teens, right?” He asks.  
  
“Hmph! Considering you’re not producing any heirs of your own, adopting Mila would be a good idea.” Yakov grunts.  
  
 _Well shit._  
  
  
\--------------------------------------------------  
  
  
Viktor lies in bed that night wondering how in the world he managed to make Saints' problem of what to do with Mila his own problem. He can clearly picture in his mind the wave of new letters he’ll receive asking for Mila’s hand in marriage and the extra amount of stress he’ll have to deal with. He sighs and rolls over to bury his face into his pillow.  
  
 _‘Happy birthday, Yuri. You’re getting a sister.’_ Viktor sarcastically thinks.  
  
The next morning a letter is sent to Saints requesting adoption papers. Two days after that, Viktor adopts Mila.  
  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! \^o^/


	10. Time is Ticking

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're now entering the final arc to this story! Enjoy :D

The weeks pass by and warmer temperatures melt away the snow from the long winter. Layers of excess clothing are slowly shed to accommodate the changing seasons. As winter turns to spring & spring into summer, Yuuri’s and Viktor’s love blossoms more with each passing day. Yuuri teaches Viktor how to tie a scarf around his hair so he doesn’t have to continue wearing his warm fur hat. Despite the summer’s heat, some main street’s canals remain so cool that wet snow still stubbornly remains.  
  
It was a Saturday in mid August when Yuuri asked Viktor to get Tuesday evening off to have a date at the onsen. Minako was getting the onsen roof redone and closed the onsen for the few days it would take to replace it. She wanted to avoid potential injuries in the event that patrons stepped on nails that fell from the roof, and she wanted to avoid patrons’ loss of privacy since someone standing on the roof can clearly see into the onsen baths. The onsen would open again Wednesday morning and Yuuri was hoping to take advantage of the empty onsen to soak in it with Viktor.  
  
Later that night, after a long argument with Yakov to receive permission to have Tuesday evening off, it was a test of patience once Viktor told Chris that soaking in the onsen with Yuuri meant that they would be naked in a bath together. Chris proceeded to comment for the next three days leading up to the date about how sexual the whole concept was. It was Tuesday morning when Chris made the remark, “be sure to smack that cutie’s naked little bootie!” That was the last straw. Viktor swore to strangle his best friend if he saw Chris again at all that day.  
  
Thankfully, Viktor didn’t see Chris the rest of the day and Viktor set off to the onsen for the first date that Yuuri planned. Minako was gone enjoying a girl’s night out with the onsen’s female employees so Yuuri and Viktor had the whole onsen to themselves.  
  
Yuuri greets Viktor at the door with a beautiful smile gracing his lips. His bangs have slowly gotten longer and they delicately touch the tops of his glasses. He wears his usual long sleeve shirt despite the humid weather, and has on a thin pair of pants that end halfway up his lower leg. Viktor’s and Yuuri’s bare feet lightly stick to the hardwood floors as they make their to the restaurant portion of the onsen.  
  
They enjoy a light dinner made by Yuuri and Yuuri brings their dishes to the kitchen to clean them before they head to the bath. Yuuri can’t find any dish soap so he tells Viktor to wait in the kitchen while he searches for more soap. Viktor tiredly slumps against the cabinets and contemplates everything that has happened in the past few months.  
  
Shortly after adopting Mila, Nikolai made a trip back to Saints to collect their belongings - setting up permanent residence in Viktor’s castle. As Viktor predicted, marriage letters asking for Mila began taking over his desk in his study. Viktor still didn’t know how to permanently but kindly reject all the marriage proposals - the main issues being royals had a tendency to be easily offended and they were persistent. Viktor would manage to gently reject a proposal only to receive five more letters from that same Kingdom.  
  
The royals staying at Viktor’s Castle trying to win his love slowly left over the months. Most of them were gone by May - reluctantly having to leave to attend to other important matters. Things were calming down in the Castle and Viktor couldn’t have been happier. That was until July came around.  
  
The King of Vutera and the King of Fadina went back to their Kingdom’s and left their wives and daughters in Russeta. The daughters’ goals was to win over Yuri. The two queens enjoyed each other’s company and chatted regularly with one another. Then one afternoon they got in a petty argument about whose daughter was prettier. Both of them were so insulted that they got their husbands involved. The King’s began arguing and insulting one another and soon they were threatening war.  
  
The Kings of Vutera & Fadina managed to agree that they needed a mediator. They admired the way how Viktor handled the ordeal between Saints & Auberon and they forced the position onto Viktor. The two Kingdoms consented to periodically visit Russeta to negotiate.  
  
Viktor was annoyed since the task was added work on top of what he already has to deal with. The two Kings had a tendency to mail insults to one another which would cause them to show up unexpectedly in Russeta demanding Viktor to settle their argument immediately. Viktor missed two dates with Yuuri cause of their surprise visits. Viktor made sure to notify Yuuri via letter delivered by Chris if he couldn’t make it.  
  
On top of the stress from dealing with marriage letters demanding for his kids and two fighting Kings, Yakov started pressuring Viktor to meet his lover. Apart from Chris, no one else knew of Yuuri. All anyone knew was that Viktor would sneak out of the Castle, do _something_ for however long his schedule allowed, and then return. Yakov was getting impatient and was accusing Viktor of not having a lover and accusing him of using the time off to irresponsibly fool around.  
  
With Yakov’s hounding came the final thing that has been weighing on Viktor’s mind - telling Yuuri that he is King. Even after all these months Viktor still hasn’t told Yuuri. Viktor knows Yuuri and knows that Yuuri will freak when he finds out. Chris has been a constant nagging reminder that Viktor needs to tell Yuuri eventually. Viktor _knows_ that, but he just needs to make sure Yuuri understands that he would willing abandon his whole Kingdom and give up everything for Yuuri. Thus Viktor made himself a promise - once Yuuri kisses him, the next time he sees Yuuri he must tell Yuuri he is King. No exceptions.  
  
“Viktor, are you okay? You don’t look too happy.”  
  
Yuuri’s concerned comment breaks Viktor out of his thoughts. Yuuri found the soap and is already scrubbing a plate in a sink full of bubbles. Viktor hadn’t realized Yuuri had returned.  
  
“Yes, sorry. I have a lot on my mind is all.” Viktor replies, pushing off the cabinets and moving closer to Yuuri.  
  
“You can go sit down if you like. I can finish up in here and come get you after.” Yuuri’s brow is still furrowed with worry.  
  
“No no! I was going to dry dishes remember?” Viktor shoves his previous thoughts away and  snatches the drying towel from the counter. He holds out a hand and waits for Yuuri to place wet dishes in it. It’s Viktor’s first time drying dishes and he’s excited to try something he’s never done before.  
  
Yuuri hands Viktor the plate he’s been cleaning and Viktor pauses, staring intently at it. Yuuri glances at Viktor and asks, “Viktor, is everything alright? Did I miss a spot?” Viktor slowly peels his gaze away from the plate to look at Yuuri.  
  
“Yuuri, I’m holding a plate!”  
  
“...Yes, you are.”  
  
“No! I mean, plates are usually placed on the table for me and I eat off them, but I’ve never actually just held a plate. Yuuri,” Viktor shakes the plate in his hand to put emphasis on it, “I’m holding a plate!”  
  
Yuuri doesn’t know how to respond to that so he finishes washing, plucks the drying towel from Viktor’s hand and dries the dishes. Once he puts them all away he takes the plate away from Viktor, rewashes it, dries it and puts it away.  
  
“Sorry, doesn’t look like I was much help.” Viktor laughs. Yuuri smiles at him.  
  
“It’s alright. Now it’s time to get you cleaned up.” Yuuri takes Viktor’s hand and guides him to the men’s locker room. It’s Viktor’s first time being in here. It has tiled floors, many rows of wooden square lockers to the left and a few benches against the wall to the right. Across the room is the door to the showering area.  
  
Yuuri instructs Viktor to place his clothes on a bench, saying that since no one is here there’s no need to lock away his belongings. Yuuri grabs a scrubbing cloth and says he’ll meet Viktor in the shower room. Viktor is a little confused when Yuuri walks into the shower room with his clothes on, but he does as Yuuri says and leaves his ineptly folded clothes, hair scarf, and protective charm on the bench.  
  
The entire shower room is tiled and many faucets  & shower heads line the walls - all of them are at waist level, requiring one to sit in order to use them. Yuuri is busy preparing one of the shower stations for use. He glances up when he hears Viktor enter and quickly averts his gaze with a light blush tainting his cheeks. Viktor is used to having servants help him bathe so he has no problem being naked in front of Yuuri.  
  
“Sit here, please.” Yuuri says, pointing at a tiny stool next to him. Viktor sits on the stool with his back facing towards Yuuri. Yuuri turns on the water and begins to rinse Viktor. Yuuri then lathers his hands with shampoo and massages it into Viktor’s scalp. Viktor feels completely spoiled - he could stay like this forever. Viktor uses the body wash to clean himself and Yuuri begins scrubbing his back with the wash cloth. Yuuri is so fixated on his task of scrubbing Viktor that a silence falls between the two of them. Viktor decides to break it.  
  
“So, Yuuri, what’s the water’s temperature like in the onsen? Is it really hot?”  
  
“Oh. I don’t know. I’ve never been in.” Yuuri says, still scrubbing away.  
  
“You mean you’ve worked here for five years and you’ve never once been in the onsen?” Viktor asks incredulously. He looks over his shoulder at Yuuri. Yuuri stops scrubbing, their eyes meet and Yuuri’s light blush turns three shades darker.  
  
“No, I’ve never gone in.”  
  
“Why?” Viktor questions.  
  
“I-I’m self conscious about my body!” Yuuri leans away from Viktor and unconsciously moves his arms protectively in front of his torso. Yuuri’s clothes had gotten soaked in some places when he was rinsing Viktor earlier and the fabric of his clothes clings to his thin frame. Viktor rakes his eyes up and down Yuuri’s nice physique.  
  
“What’s there to be self conscious about?”  
  
“I have... scars.” Yuuri wraps his arms around himself and begins fidgeting. Viktor can see that the topic is making Yuuri agitated.  
  
“You are joining me in the bath, right?” Viktor asks.  
  
“O-Of course!”  
  
Viktor lets out a small sigh of relief. He playfully pouts and says, “I’m guessing I’m not allowed to scrub you down?” Yuuri’s face goes completely red. He stutters a bit trying to reply but in the end decides not to bother responding to Viktor’s question. He walks past Viktor to the locker room door saying,  
  
“Rinse off and go into the onsen. I’ll join you in a minute.”  
  
Yuuri goes into the locker room and as the door slowly closes, Viktor yells, “You better not take too long or I’ll come looking for you!” Viktor laughs when he hears Yuuri yell, “Viktor!” in a mock angry voice.  
  
Viktor rinses himself off and it suddenly dawns on him that Yuuri is going to be naked. Chris’ voice and all his obscene remarks start filling Viktor’s head and Viktor groans in annoyance.  
  
He finishes rinsing bubbles off himself and steps through the door to the onsen. The air is burning hot outside and the sky is lit with the colours of the slowly setting sun. The inlaid stones of the ground are still warm from the sun’s rays earlier that day. A high wooden fence surrounds the entire onsen area and intricate lanterns are strung up to provide light.  
  
Viktor wades into the onsen and gasps at its heat. There are rocks that stick up from the water about a full legs length away from the onsen’s edge. They are meant to be extra seating so clusters of friends or family visiting the onsen can sit facing each other. Viktor chooses a protruding rock with a view of the shower room’s door and gradually eases himself into a seated position in the water.  
  
He waits for a few minutes and Yuuri pokes his head through the shower room’s door.  
  
“Viktor?” Yuuri asks.  
  
“Ya, I’m here.”  
  
“Okay, close your eyes!” Yuuri says. Viktor closes and covers his eyes with his hands.  
  
“My eyes are closed.”  
  
“Okay!” Viktor can hear as Yuuri’s bare feet walk across the smooth inlaid stones. Then he hears Yuuri’s gasp as he places his first leg into the hot water. Yuuri continues to gasp as he gently lowers his body into the water.  
  
“You can open your eyes now.”  
  
Yuuri faces toward Viktor, sitting slightly offset to the right to avoid sitting on Viktor’s feet. Yuuri’s back is completely pressed against the onsen’s edge, his arms are crossed and his knees are pulled up to his chest. Viktor observes Yuuri. From what he can see Yuuri’s skin looks smooth and soft. Chris’ voice rings in his head again and he furrows his brows in irritation.  
  
“So,” Yuuri begins noticing Viktor’s expression, “you’ve seemed rather stressed lately. Are you doing okay?”  
  
Viktor lets out a huff and puts on a smile. “I’ll be okay. Just same old stuff as usual.” Viktor replies.  
  
“People asking to marry your kids and fighting neighbours?” Yuuri asks.  
  
“Yep.” Viktor nods. Viktor had told Yuuri that the King’s of Vutera & Fadina were neighbours on either side of his ‘mansion’. It’s sort of true since Vutera & Fadina were located on opposite sides of Russeta.  
  
The heat starts getting to Yuuri and he uncrosses his arms and stretches out his legs some. Viktor’s bangs are dangling in his eye so he pushes them up and back on his head and they stick there. Yuuri’s not wearing his glasses so he squints at him. Yuuri lets out a little laugh and pushes his bangs up on top of his head. His bangs stay there and they smile at each other. Yuuri rests a hand on top of Viktor’s foot and rubs soothing circles on his skin. Viktor doesn’t know how he can love Yuuri more, but he keeps finding new things to love about Yuuri every time they’re together.  
  
“What do you think of the onsen so far?” Viktor asks.  
  
“It’s really nice! I just don’t think I can stay in here for too long, it’s really hot!”  
  
Viktor nods in agreement and pulls his arms up out of the water to help cool himself down. He rests his arms back on the rock he’s leaning against.  
  
“We’ll have to try this out again when the weather cools down.” Viktor adds.  
  
“Ya.” Yuuri agrees and pulls his arms out of the water - resting them on the onsen’s edge. Viktor notices dark marks on Yuuri’s forearms and he stares at them - steam from the onsen obscures Viktor’s view a little. _‘Freckles?’_ Viktor thinks.  
  
“By the way, Viktor, did you sneak a new shirt into my wardrobe? I asked Minako and she said she didn’t put it there.” Viktor meets Yuuri’s gaze and smiles guiltily.  
  
“Sorry, I saw it in a shop window as I was walking home one day and thought it would look nice on you!” Viktor smiles. _‘Kind of long and weird looking freckles.’_ He continues to think.  
  
“Viktor! I told you to stop spending money on me!” Yuuri pouts.  
  
“I can’t help it! I like spoiling you!” Viktor replies. _‘Are those the scars Yuuri’s worried about? They’re barely even noticeable!’_  
  
Viktor’s breath catches in his throat. The heat and steam is making it hard to breath and he’s starting to sweat too.  
  
“The more you keep spoiling me the less birthday gifts you can buy me. This is number eight! You’re officially not allowed to buy me anything for my birthday until I’m thirty-two.”  
  
“Yuuri! Not fair! How am I supposed to show my affection for you?” Viktor whines. Viktor didn’t have the guts to tell Yuuri that he’s been stocking up his bedroom closet in his Castle with fanciful suits and clothing he bought for Yuuri.  
  
“I’m sure you’ll manage-” Yuuri gasps loudly, abruptly pushes himself up and seats himself on the edge of the bath. He breaths heavily and begins fanning himself with his hands.  
  
“Are you alright, Yuuri?” Viktor absentmindedly asks, mind focused on trailing his eyes over Yuuri’s exposed torso.  
  
“Yes, I just got really hot all of a sudden.” He pants. He looks at Viktor and his face turns bright red. “Hey! Viktor! No looking!” He wraps his arms over his torso.  
  
_‘There’s so few scars that there’s nothing for Yuuri to be self conscious about. I wonder what made those scars anyway.‘_ Viktor shakes his head and decides to ask Yuuri about it later. The heat is starting to bother Viktor too and he mischievously looks at Yuuri.  
  
Grinning he says, “There’s no need to be so shy, Yuuri! Here, you can look at me all you want!” Viktor stands up and Yuuri gasps and covers his eyes with his hands. Viktor starts howling with laughter.  
  
“VI-VIKTOR!!” Yuuri shrieks.  
  
Viktor has to catch his breath to speak. “I’m getting hot too, why don’t we head on inside?” Viktor laughs.  
  
“You-...You close your eyes! I just remember I forgot to grab towels and robes for us!”  
  
“Alright, alright!” Viktor sits down on the rock he was leaning against and covers his eyes with his hands.  
  
“No peeking!” Yuuri chides.  
  
“I won’t, I promise!” Viktor says. He hears Yuuri stand and pull his legs out of the water. Viktor doesn’t hear anything for a second - Viktor guesses Yuuri is squinting at him to making sure his eyes are covered - then hears Yuuri’s bare feet smack against the stone ground towards the door.  
  
Viktor can’t help himself. He didn’t just bathe naked with Yuuri to not catch at least one glimpse of Yuuri’s butt. He parts his fingers and stares at Yuuri’s retreating form. Viktor is boiling hot but one glance at Yuuri’s back sends chilling shivers down his spine.  
  
Once Yuuri is through the door Viktor lets his hands fall from his face. Viktor finally realized why Yuuri is worried about his body. His entire back is covered with the same scars as his forearms, and Viktor can tell that they were made from a whip.  
  
\-----  
  
Later they lounge on the hardwood stairs wearing the onsen’s robes with glass bottles of milk on the steps beside them. Viktor sits a couple of steps up behind Yuuri, gently running a comb through Yuuri’s damp hair.  
  
Viktor is glad to be sitting behind Yuuri so that Yuuri can’t see his expression. Viktor frowns and tries to push the image of the scars away. He wants to question Yuuri. Demand from Yuuri who did this to him but he knows Yuuri isn’t comfortable talking about it. Thus Viktor remains silent and lovingly runs a comb through Yuuri’s hair. Yuuri takes a sip of his milk and lets out a yawn.  
  
“Viktor.” Yuuri says and he leans his head back to look at Viktor. “You can stay for the night if you’d like.” His eyes shine brightly and he has a faint flush to his skin that was caused from the heat of the onsen.  
  
Viktor halts his combing and his heart clenches. Viktor would love to stay but Yakov wouldn’t allow it, and Viktor fears his mood right now would only worry or upset Yuuri. Viktor sighs, and brushes a thumb across one of Yuuri’s eyebrows.  
  
“I’d love to Yuuri, but I have a grumpy old man back home that will give me an earful if I do.” Yuuri smiles in understanding and tilts his head back forward. Viktor continues combing and manages a little laugh when he thinks of Chris.  
  
“Besides, I have a friend back home that will suggest that I did lewd things to you all night if I stay.” The tips of Yuuri’s ears turn bright red and Viktor quickly responds to remedy the situation.  
  
“Don’t worry! My friend is just a pervert is all!”  
  
The front door handle starts jiggling and as soon as the door unlocks, a very tipsy Minako bursts through the door hollering, “Yuuuurrrriiiiii! I’m home! WHOA!” She trips over her feet and nearly face plants. Yuuri leaps off the stairs to go help her.  
  
Viktor sighs. His time with Yuuri is up. He grabs his bottle of milk off the step beside him and chugs the rest of it - now he’s going to head home with even more things weighing on his mind.  
  
Yuuri assists Minako to her room and Viktor goes to the locker room to change back into his clothes. Back at the front door Viktor tightly hugs Yuuri to his chest - never wanting to let go.  
  
“Thank you for tonight, Yuuri. I really needed the break.”  
  
“You’re welcome, Viktor.” Viktor holds onto Yuuri for a minute longer and finally loosens his hold. Viktor slides his hands down Yuuri’s arms and holds onto Yuuri’s hands.  
  
“I’ll see you tomorrow.” Viktor says. Each parting was getting harder and harder.  
  
“You’re welcome to sleep over anytime you like.” Yuuri replies. Viktor smiles lovingly at Yuuri and gives Yuuri’s hands a gentle squeeze. Viktor begins slowly backing out the door.  
   
“Wait!” Yuuri gasps, pulling on Viktor’s hands. Yuuri gently takes Viktor’s head in his hands, stands up on his toes and places a kiss on Viktor’s forehead.  
  
“Goodnight, Viktor. Have a safe trip home.” Yuuri whispers. Viktor takes one of Yuuri’s hands and places a long kiss on his knuckles.  
  
“Thank you, I will. Goodnight, Yuuri.”  
  
  
\--------------------------------------------------  
  
  
Viktor lies on his bed staring at his tall ceiling. Thousands of thoughts swirl through his mind and he feels tense and stressed. Makkachin is curled against his left side and Viktor idly pets her. There’s a quick knock on his bedroom door before Chris uses his magic to unlock the door and casually walk in.  
  
“Details! Details!” He exclaims as he closes the door behind him, “how was your steamy hot date with your mysterious foreign prince?” Chris smirks devilishly. He saunters over to Viktor and flops on the bed to Viktor’s right.  
  
“Chris, can you do me a favour and use your magic communication stream thingy to contact fellow mages in Hasetsu about Yuuri’s past?” Chris gasps in excitement.  
  
“What’s this!? Is Yuuri that sexually experienced that you want to know who he learned his moves from!?” Chris jokes, about to burst into hysterical laughter. Viktor dejectedly glares at him and Chris’ brows furrow.  
  
“You don’t look too happy for someone who just bathed completely naked with their lover.” He states. He lets out a long breath then says, “Wouldn’t it be better to ask Yuuri yourself?”  
  
“I would it’s just... he kissed me, Chris.”  
  
“Wait, isn’t that a good thing? .... Oh right! You’re promise to yourself to tell him you’re King. Well it’s about darned time. What does his past have to do with this?” Chris asks. Viktor continues to run a hand through Makkachin’s fur and he stares up at his ceiling.  
  
“He has scars. _Whip_ scars. _Tons of them._ What if Yuuri was a slave to Hasetsu’s Emperor and he hates royalty? And then I tell him I’m King and he... _leaves me._ ” Viktor chokes out the last two words and looks at Makkachin to stop his mind from continuing on that thought. She’s slowly falling asleep.  
  
“You really love him, don’t you?” Chris says.  
  
“With all my heart.” Viktor whispers. Chris sits up and Viktor turns his head towards him. After a huff Chris starts talking.  
  
“Most mages moved out of Hasetsu a while ago. The Emperor’s wife and adult son both fell ill to an unknown disease and the Emperor went on a desperate search for mages in his Empire to cure them. The Emperor was willing to rip these mages away from their families and jail any that failed to cure his wife and son, so a lot of them moved away from Hasetsu. Luckily the mages that were jailed were able to escape easily so we mages never felt the need to step in. Unfortunately though, the wife and son both died about five years ago.”  
  
“So you can’t ask anyone about Yuuri’s past then?” Viktor asks.  
  
“I didn’t say that.” Chris replies. He sheepishly rubs his neck and admits, “when you first told me you started courting Yuuri, I may have inquired about Yuuri’s past just to make sure he wasn’t a spy or something along those lines.”  
  
“So you already know his past? Also geez, Chris! Don’t you trust my judgment of people?” Viktor frowns at his friend.  
  
“Hey! Love makes people do all kinds of things. I was being a good friend and good royal mage by looking out for you.” Chris defends. “Besides, only one mage knew anything of his past and she didn’t know a whole lot.”  
  
Chris looks to Viktor to make sure learning of Yuuri’s past this way is what  he really wants. Viktor nods and Chris continues.  
  
“All I know is that Yuuri’s family died in a fire. He was placed in the care of his Uncle who is known to be kind in public but brutal at home. When Yuuri turned eighteen, he left Hasetsu.”  
  
Viktor tries to process the little information that is given to him. Minako obviously isn’t the one who hurt Yuuri, and Yuuri’s stories of his parents & sister made it clear that they weren’t the ones to hurt him either. Which can only mean... “Are you saying Yuuri’s own Uncle hurt him?” Viktor trembles with suppressed anger.  
  
“I can’t say for sure. For all we know one of the household servants could’ve hurt him, but the fact remains that his Uncle didn’t do anything to stop it.”  
  
Viktor grits his teeth and rage fills his body. He can’t believe someone would do something so horrible to such a wonderful person. He balls his right hand into a fist and Chris places a hand on top of it.  
  
“Hey. Stop that right now. You getting mad about Yuuri’s past isn’t going to make him happy.” Viktor takes a deep breath and blinks away the tears of frustration that built in his eyes.  
  
“Be sure to tell him you’re King tomorrow and everything will be fine. I know things have been stressing you out these past few months, but think about it. Soon your handsome prince’s fine naked bootie might be in this bed beside you!” Viktor groans as Chris bursts into laughter.  
  
“Chris, get out of my room right now before I strangle you!” Chris quickly hops off the bed out of Viktor’s reach and leisurely walks towards the door. He opens the door and pauses before heading out.  
  
“I bet I know what you’re going to be dreaming about tonight! Hot steamy baths and a certain naked-” Viktor reaches for a pillow and whips it toward Chris - waking Makkachin in the process. Chris slams the door closed and the pillow lands with a feathery ‘plop’ on the floor. Chris’ laughter can be heard echoing in the hallway.  
  
Viktor rolls his eyes and looks at Makkachin. Chris is right about one thing though - Yuuri is going to be the only thing on his mind tonight.  
  
  


 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!


	11. Everything's Going to be Fine

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay! I was given extra work and had to work overtime last weekend to complete it (´‐ω‐）=з Enjoy!

Viktor is startled awake by a light knock on his bedroom door followed by a muffled female voice from behind the closed door saying, “My King?”. Every thought that runs through his head as he slowly rouses from sleep is about Yuuri. He wonders how Yuuri manages to smile so beautifully despite all the pain, suffering and loneliness he must have gone through.  
  
Makkachin crawls up to Viktor’s head and stares down at him - tail wagging happily. Viktor pets her soft, furry head as the maid outside his door lightly knocks again.  
  
“My King, are you awake?”  
  
Viktor sighs and sits up on the edge of his bed. He knows he won’t be able to get anything done today if he doesn’t see Yuuri right now to make sure Yuuri is okay. He stands, steps his feet into a pair of slippers, pulls on a robe over his pajamas and goes to his door. He opens it just as the maid’s raised hand is about to knock again.  
  
“Oh! My King, you startled me.” She says, her cheeks lightly flushing.  
  
“I’m feeling rather tired this morning and would like to rest some more. Can you bring breakfast up to my study in a few hours and tell Yakov I won’t be dining with everyone?” Viktor asks.  
  
“Of course, my King! Right away.” She smiles at him and begins to depart.  
  
“Please take Makkachin with you too. Makkachin, go with her.” Viktor says, turning to his poodle.  
  
Makkachin walks through the door and follows along beside the maid. Once they’re down the hallway some, Viktor closes & locks his door and sheds his pajamas. He changes into plain summer clothing and quickly ties a scarf around his hair. He’s gotten lax with hiding his face behind a scarf - finding that only his hair is the biggest giveaway to him being King.  
  
Once done he departs through his bookshelf’s secret passageway on a mission to Okukawa onsen.  
  
  
\--------------------------------------------------  
  
  
Yuuri sweeps the main floor of the onsen. He wears the expensive hairclip Viktor bought him to keep his bangs out of his eyes while he works. He feels disappointed in himself. Last night he had meant to kiss Viktor on the lips, but chickened out as he was raising up onto his toes and ended up kissing Viktor’s forehead instead.  
  
Yuuri can’t help but worry for Viktor. He can tell Viktor is stressed from more than just ‘people asking to marry his kids’ & ‘fighting neighbours’ and Yuuri has a guess as to what it is. He believes Viktor is worried that he’ll leave him once Viktor reveals his personal life.  
  
Up to this point in their relationship, Viktor has kept his life hidden from Yuuri. Not once has he told Yuuri the names of anyone close to him - only referring to them as ‘my kids’ or ‘my best friend’. Furthermore he’s kept his birthday a secret, persists in hiding his face & using the alias ‘Vince’ in public, and still hasn’t invited Yuuri over to his mansion yet.  
  
Yuuri doesn’t know the reason or reasons why Viktor has kept his life a secret, and Yuuri can only theorize about what it could be:  
  
1\. Abandonment issues - Viktor’s parents were murdered when he was young so now he could fear getting severely hurt if he lets Yuuri get to close to his heart. A possible cause for why Viktor doesn’t share the names of anyone close to him or share his birth date.  
  
2\. Being ostracized by fellow aristocrats - Aristocrats can sometimes get extremely nasty and condescending towards other nobles who court someone of lower status. Perhaps that’s why Viktor hasn’t invited Yuuri over to his home and why Viktor disguises himself & uses an alias in public. Yuuri did mention to Viktor that he is a noble, but that was back in Hasetsu before his Uncle made him a slave - now in Russeta he’s a commoner. Viktor appreciated the revelation, but continued to conceal his identity.  
  
3\. Viktor being a noble is a lie and he’s actually a thief - It would explain the infinite amount of money Viktor seems to have. Plus, Viktor did ask how Yuuri snuck into the King’s birthday ball. Questioning Yuuri which mage he went to and how much it cost him. Yuuri didn’t know how Viktor knew a mage helped him - making Yuuri wonder if Viktor had also snuck into the ball with a mage’s help. They _were_ basically wearing the same thing at the ball, perhaps mages can only create one same fancy outfit. Not to mention a ball is a perfect opportunity to sneak around a castle and steal things.  
  
Yuuri has a few other theories bouncing around in his head, but these three seem the most logical. Regardless Yuuri doesn’t care what Viktor is, he just wants Viktor to stop hurting himself by keeping this a secret from him.  
  
Viktor has been so kind and patient with Yuuri and Yuuri can see that Viktor has been holding himself back and taking things slow with him. Yuuri wanted to kiss Viktor on the lips to show Viktor that he is ready and fully committed to this relationship. Now Yuuri is mentally chiding himself and feeling terrible for failing Viktor.  
  
There’s a knock on the front door and Yuuri is jolted out of his thoughts. He looks across the room at the clock on the reception desk and sees that it’s 6:20am. _‘The mailman?’_ Yuuri speculates. There’s another knock on the door as Yuuri leans his broom against a wall. As he makes his way to the door he can hear Minako tiredly plunking down the stairs to answer the door.  
  
“Don’t worry, Minako, I’ve got it!” Yuuri calls to her. Yuuri unlocks  & opens the door and is pleasantly surprised to see Viktor there leaning heavily with one hand on the doorframe.  
  
“Viktor!” Yuuri exclaims. Yuuri can’t help the wide grin that spreads across his face. Cool morning air wafts into the onsen as Viktor’s piercing blue eyes stare straight into Yuuri’s brown ones. Viktor’s breathing is labored and he’s sweating a bit as if he ran all the way to the onsen from his home.  
  
“Do you have the day off?” Yuuri asks, heart fluttering at the thought.  
  
“No, unfortunately.” Viktor wheezes. He takes a few deep breaths and gets his breathing under control. He straightens himself up and takes a step closer to Yuuri.  
  
“I just wanted to see you before I started my day.” He says, tightly wrapping his arms around Yuuri. Yuuri hugs his arms around Viktor’s torso and melts into the embrace.  
  
Yuuri loves that Viktor has less layers on compared to winter. With thin summer clothes on, Yuuri can press himself fully into Viktor’s chest and feel every toned muscle through Viktor’s shirt fabric. If Yuuri focuses hard enough, he can sometimes feel Viktor’s heartbeat pumping against his chest, right next to his own heart.  
  
Yuuri fills his nostrils with Viktor’s scent and closes his eyes. He hears the clock on the reception desk ticking behind him in the onsen and can hear footsteps outside as people stroll down the streets on their way to work. He’s not sure how long they stand there. Each second that ticks by Viktor seems to squish Yuuri even closer to him. Finally Viktor loosens his grip and pulls back just enough to look Yuuri in the eye but still have his arms holding onto Yuuri.  
  
“I’ll see you later tonight, Yuuri, okay? There’s... something important about myself that I need to tell you.” Viktor says sternly.  
  
Yuuri’s smile gets brighter. _‘Did my kiss get through to him?’_ He wonders.  
  
“I’ll see you later, Viktor.” Yuuri beams at him. “Have a good day today.” He adds. Viktor smiles.  
  
“I will.” Viktor murmurs.  
  
Viktor steps back, sliding his hands across Yuuri’s back to Yuuri’s arms. As he continues to back up, he glides his palms down to Yuuri’s elbows and lifts Yuuri’s arms with his own. Viktor keeps stepping back, fingers ghosting across the fabric covering Yuuri’s forearms until just their fingertips are touching. Their fingertips slip away from each other and their arms fall to their sides. Viktor continues to make loving eye contact with Yuuri and doesn’t break it until he’s almost halfway down the street.  
  
Yuuri lets out a happy sigh and closes the door. He barely has it locked when Minako pounces on him from behind.  
  
“Yuuri!” She exclaims, fully awake and bursting with energy. She whips Yuuri around so they’re facing one another and places her hands on his shoulders. “The King is courting _you_?!”  
  
“What?” Yuuri blinks at her. _‘What is she talking about?’_  
  
“Just now you called him Viktor!” She grins, completely thrilled. Yuuri winces. He was so happy to see Viktor that he forgot Minako was there and forgot to refer to Viktor as Vince.  
  
“Your point?” Yuuri asks.  
  
“I may have been tipsy last night, but I clearly remember seeing Vince sitting on the stairs without his hair scarf on! I knew he looked familiar and you calling him Viktor confirms it! He’s the King, Yuuri! Where did you meet him?! There’s no way you met _the King_ while out on a ‘leisurely stroll’ the night of the King’s birthday like you told me!”  
  
She pauses for a moment, then her eyes go wide with delight.  
  
“You somehow went to the King’s ball didn’t you?!” She yells, so full of exhilaration that she begins shaking Yuuri by his shoulders.  
  
“Yuuri, why didn’t you tell me?!”  
  
Yuuri can’t believe what he’s hearing. His mind tells him that surely Minako must be joking. He begins to process the information and as the pieces gradually start to come together, his eyes go wide with shock. Minako stops shaking him and her bright smile slowly melts into a perplexed frown. As she stares at Yuuri’s shocked face it dawns on her.  
  
“You... didn’t know, did you?” Minako cringes. Yuuri’s silence is her only answer. Slowly Yuuri starts breathing heavier and heavier and he almost starts to hyperventilate.  
  
“Okay! Okay! Don’t freak out! Let’s go sit down and talk about it.” She says, pulling Yuuri towards the stairs.  
  
It all makes sense to Yuuri now. The disguise  & alias, the endless amounts of money, the withholding of information. Viktor is the King! Out of all the possibilities he came up with, Viktor being _the King of Russeta_ was not one of them! Yuuri thought he wouldn’t care what Viktor is, but now it’s the only thing Yuuri can think about.  
  
Minako sits Yuuri on the stairs and moves to sit beside him. She’s barely sitting when Yuuri turns to her and starts panicking.  
  
“Minako, he’s the King. HE’S THE KING! Minako! I can’t! He’s the King and I’m just a nobody!” Yuuri frets.  
  
“It’s okay, Yu-”  
  
“He’s the King!” Yuuri cuts her off.  
  
“I know, Yuuri. Take deep breaths. Everything’s going to be fi-”  
  
“But he’s the King!” Yuuri shouts, cutting Minako off again.  
  
“Yuuri! Stop thinking and take some deep breaths!”  
  
“But-”  
  
She eyes Yuuri and won’t let him speak until he breathes. Yuuri takes deep shaky breaths and his mind clears a little. His heart pounds in his chest.  
  
“Minako, what do I do?” Yuuri trembles.  
  
“Do you love him?” Minako asks.  
  
“What?!” Yuuri gawks at her. He wasn’t expecting her to say that.  
  
“Do you love him?” She calmly repeats.  
  
“Y-Yes.” Yuuri blushes. He and Viktor haven’t said they love each other out loud yet. Instead they mutually understand through their actions that they love each other.  
  
“Then you don’t have to do anything.” Minako says. Yuuri stares at her horrified. Minako smiles and places a hand on Yuuri’s shoulder - giving it a reassuring squeeze before letting go.  
  
“What is it that you’re freaking out about? Viktor as a whole, or the word King?” Minako continues. Yuuri swallows and looks down at the floor.  
  
“I g-guess the King part.” Yuuri replies with a quivering voice. He fidgets on the step - faintly rocking back and forth to quell his nerves.  
  
“I understand, Yuuri. You’re scared of the unknown right now and you need some answers. Royals have courted and even married commoners in the past, so you don’t have to worry about who you are or where you are in the ‘status hierarchy’. I think the best option for you right now is to wait for Viktor to come tonight and ask him what is to be expected of you. It might not be as bad as you think.”  
  
Yuuri never realized how well Minako knows him. He understands what Minako is saying but his mind is still reeling.  
  
_Is he supposed to present himself as poised, prim and proper? Is there a certain way he’s supposed to speak? Are there rules he’s expected to follow? What will the people think of him? What if he ends up ridiculing Viktor? What is his role supposed to be?!_  
  
Minako places a hand on top of his to get his attention. She smiles sympathetically at him.  
  
“Take the day off. Don’t think about it too much, okay? I’m always here if you need me.”  
  
Yuuri nods his head slowly. He goes up the stairs and into his room, grabs his skates and walks to Ice Castle. Every step he takes feels painfully heavy. He’s hyperaware that everything he does will be scrutinized by the people around him and ridiculed by royals he’ll eventually have to meet by being at Viktor’s side. He enters the empty ice rink - people preferring to enjoy the remaining warm summer temperatures rather than freeze in the rink. He skates in aimless circles the entire time he’s there, staring unseeing at the walls for answers to his dilemma. He skips lunch, feeling too ill to eat, and leaves Ice Castle at 4pm - an hour before Viktor will arrive at the onsen.  
  
As Yuuri drags his feet back home, he comes to the conclusion that talking with Viktor right now really is the best and only option for him. His heart has been pounding with anxiety all day and Viktor is the only one who can relieve it. Yuuri worries even more knowing that waiting a whole hour for Viktor to show up will drive him insane.  
  
As he passes a street, out of the corner of his eye he notices a large group of dark haired people. He turns his head towards them for a better look and sees a royal entourage from Hasetsu. They browse some street vendors’ stalls and look down at their wares. Yuuri curiously stares at the group, and sees his Uncle standing amidst them.  
  
  
\--------------------------------------------------  
  
  
Viktor makes his way to the onsen. He’s nervous. He spent the whole day thinking of different directions this conversation could go tonight. He didn’t end up getting any work done even after visiting Yuuri that morning. He left Makkachin back at the Castle to make sure his mind is fully focused on Yuuri. _‘Everything’s going to be fine.’_ He tells himself to calm his nerves.  
  
He enters the onsen and takes off his shoes. He puts them in a shoe locker and then weaves his way past customers toward the stairs. He puts a foot on the first step when he hears Minako yell, “Vince!”  
  
He pauses and turns to her as she makes her way to him.  
  
“Good evening, Minako! Has it been busy today?” He smiles. Minako gently grabs his wrist, looks worriedly over her shoulder, pulls Viktor up the stairs and into the closest banquet room. She slides the door shut behind them.  
  
“Is everything okay, Minako?” Viktor asks, getting more nervous the longer he’s delayed from talking to Yuuri.  
  
“Yuuri knows that you’re King.” Minako winces. Viktor’s breath hitches and his heart falls.  
  
“Oh.” Is all he can think to say. Minako gives him the most apologetic look she can muster.  
  
“When did he find out?” Viktor asks, clearing his suddenly dry throat.  
  
“This morning, shortly after you left.” Minako replies. Viktor sighs and rubs the side of his neck.  
  
“How is he handling it?” Viktor asks. Minako’s brows furrow with worry.  
  
“I’m not sure. I let him take the day off to clear his head. He was gone all day, then about forty minutes ago he came flying through the door and ran into his room. I was giving him some time to calm down before I tried speaking to him, but I don’t think anything I say right now is going to help him. He needs to get reassurance from you. I’m so sorry.” Minako apologizes, her face riddled with guilt.  
  
“It’s not your fault, Minako, I should’ve been honest with him from the start.”  
  
“Why weren’t you?” Minako asks, curiosity getting the better of her. Viktor lets out a sigh.  
  
“I didn’t want him to leave me or refuse to get to know me for something as silly as ‘status’.” Minako nods her head in understanding.  
  
Viktor takes a deep breath and slides open the banquet room door. He looks down the hallway at Yuuri’s closed bedroom door. Viktor readies himself and sets off. Minako worriedly watches him from the banquet room doorway.  
  
The hallway seems a lot longer than usual and Viktor’s heart races. This is the most nervous and fearful Viktor has ever felt. _'Everything’s going to be fine,’_ he reminds himself. He approaches Yuuri’s door and gives it a light knock.  
  
“Yuuri?” Viktor calls through the door. There’s no response so Viktor lets himself in.  
  
“Yuuri?” He looks around the tiny room and doesn’t see him. He hears sobbing sniffles and pin points its location from the bed. Viktor’s heart sinks a little more. He walks to the bed, gets down to the floor and lifts the bed’s blanket up to see underneath the bed. Yuuri is under there lying on his stomach, head facing toward the wall and body crammed up right against it.  
  
“Yuuri?” Viktor quietly says. Yuuri sobs in response. Viktor throws the piece of blanket he’s holding on top of the bed and adjusts his position to get comfier on the hardwood floor.  
  
“Yuuri, are you alright?” Viktor waits and Yuuri still doesn’t reply.  
  
“Yuuri, let’s talk about this, okay? I am so sorry I didn’t tell you I’m the King. I promise I was intending to tell you tonight.” Viktor tentatively reaches an arm out to Yuuri. His fingertips gently touch Yuuri’s shoulder and Yuuri flinches.  
  
“Don’t touch me!” Yuuri shouts. His sniffles get louder. Viktor recoils his hand.  
  
“Yuuri, I’m sorry. Please talk to me.” Viktor begs. Yuuri doesn’t respond and Viktor’s heart starts beating faster. If Yuuri doesn’t tell him what’s wrong then he won’t know how to soothe him.  
  
“Yuuri, it’s okay. Just tell me what’s bothering you.” Yuuri continues to tremble and cry.  
  
“Yuuri?” Nothing.  
  
“Yuuri.” Viktor tries touching him again and Yuuri shrinks in on himself.  
  
“NO! I can’t-... I can’t do this, Viktor! You’re a King! I can’t be with you!” Yuuri cries.  
  
“Yuuri, let me explain things-”  
  
“Leave me alone, Viktor!” Yuuri shouts.  
  
“Yuu-”  
  
“JUST GO AWAY!!!” He roars.  
  
Viktor freezes. His heart clenches. Yuuri cries uncontrollably and Viktor’s heart breaks knowing that he is the cause of Yuuri’s pain. Viktor opens and closes his mouth, trying to find something to say to him but he can’t find the words. He feels completely numb. He lays there on the floor staring at Yuuri hoping that something will come to his mind to fix this, but nothing does.  
  
Eventually, he stands up on legs that feel like mush and exits Yuuri’s room. Minako still waits by the banquet room, scanning his face as he comes closer for a clue as to what happened. Viktor meets her eye, shakes his head grimly and leaves the onsen.  
  
  
\--------------------------------------------------  
  
  
Viktor sits in his study in one of the chairs by the window. Viktor’s study gradually darkens as the sun slowly sets in the distance. Viktor doesn’t have the energy to get up to turn on the lights. Instead he sits unmoving and stares dejectedly at his Kingdom while tears drip from his eyes. The tears build up in his lower eyelids and daintily slide off his bottom lashes as big water droplets. Viktor hasn’t cried in years and his heart has never hurt so much in entire his life.  
  
Viktor doesn’t know what to do without Yuuri. Now that he’s felt love and enjoyed life he can’t possibly go back to the way things were before. Lonely. Isolated. Faking that he is happy. A King.  
  
There’s loud banging on his study door before Yuri storms in. Light spills into the room from the hallway and Yuri scans the darkened study for Viktor. He spots Viktor sitting across the room and stomps over. All the while yelling,  
  
“Viktor! Assign Mila a competent guard so that she’ll stop trying to steal Otabek from me! Viktor! Are you listening?!”  
  
He finally catches a glimpse of Viktor’s face and freezes. Viktor turns his head to Yuri and puts on his King facade - complete with his fake smile despite the tears falling from his eyes. His voice trembles as he speaks to Yuri.  
  
“Yuri, I’m sorry. Now’s not a good time.”  
  
Yuri flinches a little, but doesn’t take his eyes off Viktor.  
  
“Do you.... Want chocolate?” Yuri asks, trying to help him.  
  
“No, thank you. I just need to be alone right now is all.”  
  
Yuri slowly leaves the room and gently pulls the door closed. A few minutes later Yakov opens the door with Yuri standing behind him. Yakov stands in the doorway for second observing Viktor, then steps out of the way to make room for Chris to enter. Chris makes his way toward Viktor, box of chocolates in hand and takes a seat in the chair across from Viktor.  
  
“Hey. I guess things didn’t go so well?” He quietly asks, placing the box of chocolates on the small circular table between them. He looks at Yakov and Yakov softly closes the door. Chris uses magic to turn all the lights on and Viktor is temporarily blinded.  
  
“He found out I was King this morning before I had a chance to tell him myself. Minako must’ve figured it out and excitedly told him.” Viktor sniffles, squinting at his friend until his eyes adjust to the light.  
  
“How did he take it? Did he... break up with you?” Chris inquires sympathetically.  
  
“He was so _terrified_. He hid under his bed and cried, Chris.” Viktor sobs. “He was so scared and in so much pain that he didn’t want to listen to what I had to say!”  
  
“Did he specifically say that he wanted to break up?” Chris asks again, trying to find a ray of hope in this situation.  
  
“He said he couldn’t be with me cause I’m the King. Then he yelled at me to go away.” Viktor sulks, reaching for the chocolate box and pulling it into his lap. He takes out one of the chocolates and sucks on it in his mouth. It doesn’t make him feel any better.  
  
“He probably just needs some time to mull things over. Finding out that your lover is a King can be either an amazing or shocking thing to discover. Obviously your Yuuri is shocked. It’s a normal reaction, Viktor. I refuse to believe that he’d leave you over something like this. Besides, him rejecting you just proves how much he really cares about you!” Chris smiles. Viktor frowns at him.  
  
“How so?” Viktor asks around the chocolate in his mouth.  
  
“You mentioned to me that Yuuri lacks confidence in himself, right? He’s probably upset cause he’s thinking he isn’t worthy enough for you.” Chris explains. Realization dawns on Viktor and he sighs at himself for not thinking of that. He just cold heartedly left Yuuri crying under the bed! He groans at himself for being so stupid.  
  
“Don’t worry about it! You’ll see him on Saturday when he’s calmed down some. Then you’ll have a _full day_ to make it up to him.” Chris smirks suggestively. Viktor rolls his eyes at his friend and bites into his chocolate. His mouth fills with the bitter taste of alcohol and he frowns as he lifts the chocolate box to read the cover.  
  
“Oh! Do you like those? They’re from Yakov’s secret stash!” Chris says.  
  
“Yakov has a secret stash of chocolate?” Viktor asks in disbelief. He didn’t think Yakov had a sweet tooth.  
  
“Ya! I wonder what other _secret stashes_ he keeps in his room.” Chris adds, saying ‘secret stashes‘ in such a way as to imply sexual innuendos.  
  
“Ew, Chris! Why would you want to think about that?”  
  
“Hey! I was thinking liquor! You’re the one who brought up the dirty stuff.” Chris says angelically, as if he has done nothing wrong. Viktor rolls his eyes again at his friend and eats another chocolate.  
  
“I should fire you.” Viktor says, grumpily munching on his chocolate.  
  
“I’m sure Yuri or Mila will gladly hire me if I ask. You’re going to have to try much harder than that to get rid of me, Viktor!” Chris laughs. Viktor huffs, stands up and hands the chocolate box to Chris.  
  
“I’m going to bed.” Viktor announces, making his way towards the door. Chris’ joking manner goes away and he turns serious again.  
  
“Yesterday I said everything will be fine and I meant it. Before you met Yuuri, I’ve never seen you this happy. I’ve got your back, Viktor. If he refuses to listen to you on Saturday, I will forcibly hold that cutie down until he hears you out.”  
  
Viktor chuckles.  
  
“Please don’t do that. The only one who should be pinning him down is me.” Viktor sensually hints.  
  
“Oh!” Chris gasps in delight at VIktor. He opens the chocolate box and begins helping himself to the chocolates, smirking happily and waggling his eyebrows at Viktor. Viktor rolls his eyes again and leaves his study. Yakov and Yuri aren’t standing outside his door which he is thankful for.  
  
Jokes aside, Viktor hopes with all his heart that Yuuri’s lack of confidence is the only issue with him being King. He prays that Yuuri will listen to him and wishes the doubt that looms at the back of his thoughts will disappear.  
  
_‘Everything’s going to be fine.’_  
  
  
  


 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! （*´▽`*)
> 
> Next chapter has a lot of stuff going on in it so I might not be able to upload it next weekend (゜ロ゜) I'll type as fast as I can!


	12. Dealing With A Monster

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the late chapter again. OMG this chapter was a beast! （ｉДｉ） I should've broken it into two chapters but didn't think of that till I was almost done typing it. This chapter was also a plot hole death trap. I think I covered everything... I hope I covered everything џ(ºДºџ) Forgive me!!!
> 
> Enjoy!

It’s Saturday.  
  
Viktor wakes that morning feeling nervous. It’s the day he’s going to confront Yuuri again. He usually doesn’t arrive at the onsen until eight, meaning he has a whole two hours to kill before seeing Yuuri. Thankfully, part of those two hours is traveling to the onsen. He goes down to the dining hall to grab something to eat, then goes back to his room to take the longest shower he possibly can to keep him distracted from counted down the seconds. Once it’s time, he heads to the onsen. He wants to run there but then he’d be there early. If Yuuri is still on edge, a change in schedule might throw Yuuri off.  
  
The onsen comes into view and Viktor’s heart beats faster. He is so close to Yuuri. So close to seeing Yuuri, to holding Yuuri in his arms and breathing in Yuuri’s scent. His eyes are fixated on the onsen’s front door. He barely registers when Chris comes swooping down on his staff and lands beside him. A few people on the street gasp at seeing the royal mage and stare at the two of them.  
  
“Chris, what are you doing here?” Viktor asks bewildered. Chris doesn’t answer but instead grabs Viktor’s hand and looks for the nearest alleyway.  
  
“Chris?” Viktor inquires. Chris pulls him into an alleyway and stands in front of Viktor - pressing Viktor’s back against a wall. Chris glances down either end of the alley to make sure no one is watching.  
  
“We have a problem.” Chris says, pulling a letter out of a pocket in his cloak. He hands it to Viktor and stands defensively close while Viktor reads.  
  
The letter is from Hasetsu. The only time the Emperor of Hasetsu ever contacted Viktor was to send a letter congratulating Viktor on his coronation when he turned eighteen. They never communicated otherwise. As Viktor reads the letter his jaw slackens in disbelief.  
  
The letter says that the Emperor of Hasetsu passed away. The Emperor left no heirs so Hasetsu is on a desperate search going through records and family trees to find the next heir. Unfortunately, a fire had consumed most of their records so it was taking time to find the next heir. In the meantime, Hasetsu needs an Emperor to function, so the highest nobles gathered together and voted amongst themselves for a temporary Emperor. They had voted Lord Katsuki into power.  
  
“Is this a joke?!” Viktor demands of Chris, holding the offending paper up for Chris to see.  
  
“I’m afraid not.” Chris replies. “He’s in your Castle right now.”  
  
“He’s in Russeta?!!” Viktor exclaims. Suddenly, flashbacks of Wednesday course through his mind - snippets of memories of Yuuri, terrified and trembling underneath his bed. _‘Did Yuuri see him? Was Yuuri’s Uncle in Russeta that long? If so, why am I only finding out about this now?’_ Viktor’s heart aches. He wants to see Yuuri so badly.  
  
“Yes, he arrived at the Castle shortly after you left and hand delivered this letter to Yakov. He wants to speak with you. This whole situation seems fishy so I came to get you as soon as I could.” Chris responds. Viktor nods his head in understanding and takes a deep breath to clear his mind. Viktor has to wonder if Yuuri’s Uncle is really crazy enough to come all the way here to potentially harm Yuuri.  
  
“Why is he here? Is he even allowed to leave Hasetsu? I don’t see how an Empire that lost its Emperor would allow its temporary one to just leave.” Viktor fumes, frustrated that this is happening right now.  
  
“He mentioned something about honoring the late Emperor by finding the fugitive that murdered the late Emperor’s wife and son.” Chris explains.  
  
“Didn’t you tell me that his wife and son died due to an unknown disease?” Viktor asks.  
  
“Yes, but now that I think about it, only the mages know that information. The people of Hasetsu don’t really know the reason why they died.” Chris grimaces. Viktor’s heart sinks. He has a feeling that this ‘fugitive’ Emperor Katsuki is looking for is Yuuri. Viktor pinches the bridge of his nose in irritation.  
  
“Why hasn’t Hasetsu started searching for an heir sooner than this?” Viktor seethes. Figures that Hasetsu would elect the psychotic man that wishes to harm his own nephew into power.  
  
“The previous Emperor died quite suddenly. He was to remarry at the end of this month and was planning on having another child so they felt no need to search for a new heir. Plus it would‘ve been a nuisance since most of their royal records burned.” Chris replies. Viktor grits his teeth and looks off to the side. He can’t visit Yuuri right now, this situation requires Viktor’s immediate attention. Viktor looks back to Chris.  
  
“Thank you, Chris. I need you to take me back to the Castle.” Viktor reluctantly says. Chris nods his head and sits on his staff. Viktor sits next to Chris and wraps his arms around the mage to prevent from falling off. They float up into the air, above the rooftops and quickly make their way back to the Castle. Viktor stares back at onsen - the growing distance making it harder and harder to see it.  
  
_‘Wait for me, Yuuri.’_  
  
  
\-----  
  
  
Upon arriving back at the Castle, Viktor quickly changes into more formal attire and heads to the room where the Emperor waits. It’s a larger sitting room with a dining area to the left and a fireplace with a seating area to the right. The dining area has a long rectangular table that can seat twelve people - five on each side and one on either end of the table. Viktor was expecting to see Emperor Katsuki seated to the right in one of the plush armchairs by the fireplace, but instead finds him to the left seated across the room at the head of the dining table. They haven’t even spoken yet and Viktor is already getting a bad impression from this man. He feels as if he’s stepping into the Emperor’s domain despite the fact that they’re in Viktor’s Kingdom.  
  
Yuuri’s Uncle has short black hair that is peppered with gray hairs. He has a moustache and a long beard. His eyes are piercing - cruel and cold. He is well built and has strong defined muscles beneath his silken robes. Even though he is sitting, Viktor can tell that they are probably the same height. Viktor’s Kingly smile had plastered itself onto his face before he stepped into the room.  
  
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Emperor Katsuki. I welcome you to Russeta.” Viktor articulates clearly. He takes a seat at the closest chair to him - the other head of the table. He does it as a gesture of power, to show this man that he is not backing down. It’s these games of dominance that really piss Viktor off.  
  
“Yes, thank you. I hope you don’t mind if I skip straight to business. I have an urgent matter to attend to.” His strong, steady voice bellows across the table with utmost clarity. His face is set in a stern expression.  
  
“By all means, go ahead.” Viktor smiles cheerily.  
  
“I apologize for not coming to meet you sooner. My entourage and I are searching for a fugitive, Yuuri Katsuki. We believe he is here in Russeta. It’s embarrassing, but his crime was committed five years ago and we’ve done nothing to pursue him. We were hoping to apprehend him ourselves, but alas, Russeta is a larger Kingdom than we thought. We've searched the streets for three days but only managed to cover a very small portion of your Kingdom. We are at a loss and need your help.” He speaks languidly as if he has all the time in the world. Viktor tightly grips his chair’s wooden armrest. It’s under the table so Emperor Katsuki cannot see it. _‘This man really is going after Yuuri.’_  
  
“Yuuri... _Katsuki_?” Viktor feigns ignorance. He doesn’t want Emperor Katsuki to know that he knows Yuuri.  
  
“Yes, he’s my nephew.” He states. Viktor waits for him to continue but that’s all the information he gives. Viktor continues on.  
  
“What’s his crime, if you don’t mind my asking?” Viktor asks.  
  
“He murdered the late Emperor’s wife and son and fled the Empire. His reason for killing them was for revenge. You see, apart from Yuuri, my brother’s family all perished in a fire. My nephew was so distraught that he needed something to blame for his loss, and he placed that blame on the Emperor. I didn’t realize he was going to go through with his crime, and have ever since deeply regretted not stopping him.” The Emperor says.  
  
“Why are you pursuing him now?” Viktor questions, Kingly smiling unfaltering despite the dread overcoming him.  
  
“I was a close friend of the late Emperor. The late Emperor withered after the death of his wife and son. It only seems fit that I honor him by apprehending the one who took his family. This will also help boost morale for the people of Hasetsu. Since the Emperor’s death, the people have been devastated. They’re lost and confused. Bringing Yuuri Katsuki back to Hasetsu and punishing him will help unite the people and give them closure during this dark time. I’m only thinking of the future of Hasetsu. Once the next heir is found, they’ll need the support of the people to keep the Empire together.”  
  
“I see.” Viktor comments. Emperor Katsuki’s lie is solid. If Viktor didn’t know Yuuri, he would likely hand Yuuri over to the Emperor just to be done with this situation. Viktor hates dealing with these kinds of royals the most. They were the kind of people that could win the favour of anyone they wanted and convince them to do their will. Viktor grips the armrest once again. He can’t poke any holes into Emperor Katsuki’s story - not unless Viktor wanted to reveal that he knows Yuuri.  
  
“Yuuri Katsuki planned that murder for seven years. I fear if we leave him be, he may harm someone here in Russeta.” Emperor Katsuki adds, staring pointedly at Viktor to imply that he could be Yuuri’s next target. Viktor agitatedly starts tapping a finger on his armrest. Viktor has fallen into a trap and now it is time to find out if there are any ways out of it.  
  
“What is it that you would like me to help with?” Viktor asks.  
  
“I would like access to your records building.” Emperor Katsuki says nonchalantly.  
  
“That’s quite the bold favour to ask. A lot of information about Russeta is kept within that building.” Viktor states.  
  
“Yes I understand. Forgive my rudeness, but I hope you see the urgency in finding Yuuri Katsuki.” He stares at Viktor - daring Viktor to say no to him. Viktor hates it. Viktor continues to smile.  
  
“If I deny you access?” Viktor asks, testing all his options.  
  
“I’m afraid, Hasetsu and it’s allies will take _great offence_ to that.” He dictates menacingly. Viktor observes the Emperor’s facial expression very closely. Did he just threaten to go to war with Russeta if he didn’t get Yuuri?  
  
“That’s rather dramatic. I believe we should be on good terms with one another.” Viktor smiles. He’s falling deeper into this trap.  
  
“I agree. You have a daughter, correct? Perhaps her marriage to the next heir of Hasetsu could strengthen the bonds between our two nations.” Viktor grips the wooden arm of his chair with full force. He is fully within Emperor Katsuki’s trap now.  
  
If Viktor recalls his lessons from when he was a teen correctly, if an heir was unable to be found the title of Emperor would remain with the temporary stand in. Meaning Mila would have to marry Emperor Katsuki and there was no way Viktor was going to hand his daughter over to this man.  
  
Lose Yuuri, marry off Mila, or go to war. Those were his three options. Viktor greatly underestimated Yuuri’s Uncle and now he’s facing the consequences.  
  
There’s a knock on the door and a guard quickly enters the room.  
  
“Forgive me, my King! The Kings of Vutera and Fadina are here!” He exclaims worriedly.  
  
“Can they wait?” Viktor asks. As much as he’d like an excuse to get away from Emperor Katsuki, Viktor needed to stay and try to climb out of this trap he’d fallen head first into.  
  
“No, my King! They’ve acquired swords and are fighting each other! Yakov is trying to get in between the two to stop them!”  
  
Viktor clenches his jaw but remains smiling. He turns his head back to Emperor Katsuki.  
  
“I apologize for being unable to finish our conversation. I’ll give you access to the records building tomorrow. I’ll need time to lock away sensitive information. I hope you’ll understand.” It’s not what Viktor wants to say, but this will buy him time until tomorrow at least.  
  
“Of course. Thank you for your time, King Viktor.” He bows his head, but keeps his eyes on Viktor.  
  
Viktor swiftly leaves the room and panic starts to set into his body.  
  
  
\-------------------------------------------------  
  
  
Viktor climbs the grand stairwell late that night. It had taken hours upon hours to get the Kings of Vutera and Fadina to settle down. Once they were separated, Viktor stationed guards outside each of their guest rooms and told the guards to make sure the Kings didn’t leave their respective rooms under any circumstance.  
  
Viktor is making his way to his study. He had already asked several servants to find Chris and send him to the study as well. Viktor has lost too much time. His hands tremble with contained fear for Yuuri and rage at Emperor Katsuki.  
  
Viktor hears Mila’s bubbly laughter  & Yuri’s angry yells echoing down one of the halls and makes a detour onto that floor to speak with the two. The last thing he needs is for Emperor Katsuki to get into his teens’ heads and make them bend to his will.  
  
Their voices come through an open door to a sitting room. Viktor walks in and sees Mila, Yuri and Otabek playing cards. Yuri and Otabek share a couch while Mila sits across from them on another couch - a coffee table littered with cards is in between the two couches. _‘Where’s Mila’s guard?’_ Viktor thinks, vexed. _‘This is why Otabek gets paid more!’_  
  
“Mila, where’s your guard?” Viktor asks, startling Mila who is facing away from him. His mind is too flustered at the moment to properly greet them. Mila turns to face him.  
  
“Hi, papa Viktor! I’m pretty sure he went to the washroom.” Mila replies, furrowing her brows.  
  
“I thought he was getting us snacks.” Yuri chips in.  
  
“Oh really? Is that where he went?” Mila questions, looking back towards Yuri. The two teens then stare at Otabek for confirmation. Otabek looks up from the cards in his hands at the three pairs of eyes staring at him.  
  
“He’s recently been trying to woo a maid and asked me to cover for him while he went off to find her.” Otabek responds. Viktor sighs and quickly runs a hand through his hair.  
  
“Regardless, I want you three to stay away from Emperor Katsuki.” Viktor lectures.  
  
“I already briefly ran into him in a hallway.” Mila sighs.  
  
“You did?” Viktor fumes. Mila lowers her cards into her lap and shifts on the couch to fully face Viktor - troubled expression gracing her features.  
  
“He seems nice and all, but please don’t make me marry him.” She pleads. Viktor curls a hand into a fist. He has no idea what Emperor Katsuki said to her, but it has obviously made her extremely upset.  
  
“I promise.” Viktor nods his head. Mila sighs in relief and smiles brightly. Viktor doesn’t have anything else to add and turns to leave.  
  
“By the way, Viktor! Why don’t you have any guards assigned to you?” Yuri curiously inquires. Viktor pauses by the door.  
  
“Yakov chose the most boring people to guard me, so the first thing I did when I became King was remove my guards.” Viktor answers.  
  
“You can do that?” Yuri asks, wide eyed and in awe of the power a King has.  
  
“If you do that I’m keeping Otabek!” Mila beams.  
  
“No way! Otabek is mine!” Yuri hollers while Mila bursts into laughter. On any other day Viktor would love to chime in and say ‘actually, Otabek is _my_ knight’, but he doesn’t have the time. Not when there’s a threat within his Kingdom.  
  
  
\-----  
  
  
Once Viktor is in his study, he dashes to his desk and begins rifling through the drawers. _‘Please still be here. Please!’_  
  
He pulls a single sheet of paper out of one of the desk drawers and lets out a relieved sigh. It’s Yuuri’s file from the Kingdom’s record building. He never returned the file all those months ago - it’s been sitting in his desk this entire time.  
  
Chris knocks on the door and enters the room. Once the door is closed Viktor holds out the paper and commands, “Chris, burn this.”  
  
“What happened?” Chris asks. Chris and JJ had been out all day helping construction workers fix up Ice Castle, so he doesn’t know how the meeting with Emperor Katsuki went.  
  
“Emperor Katsuki is here to find Yuuri and bring him back to Hasetsu to punish him or something.” Viktor collapses into his desk’s chair and brings a trembling hand up to his face. He’s so terrified for Yuuri right now.  
  
“Whoa! Calm down. Tell me everything that’s happened.” Chris placates. Viktor extends Yuuri’s file out to Chris again. Chris takes it in his hand  & incinerates it - not leaving even a single ash behind.  
  
Viktor explains the situation to Chris. Emperor Katsuki wants to find Yuuri, arrest him and bring him back to Hasetsu. The Emperor has given Viktor three options: surrender Yuuri, marry off Mila, or go to war.  
  
One main problem is Yuuri isn’t a citizen of Russeta. Yuuri has to live in Russeta for six years to become eligible to complete a test which, if he passes it, will make him an official citizen. Since Yuuri is still a Hasetsu citizen, Viktor has no authority to protect him. Therefore, Viktor has to protect Yuuri in secret, lest he incur the wrath of Emperor Katsuki and reap the consequence - war.  
  
Viktor tells Chris that the Emperor wants access to the records building tomorrow. Even though Yuuri’s file is gone, Viktor worries if he can trust the workers at the records building to keep Yuuri a secret. Plus there was Viktor’s note. The note he initially sent to the records building all those months ago asking for Yuuri’s information. Did they keep it? Perhaps put it amongst the records & files where Emperor Katsuki would find it? Also, since the Emperor has come to Viktor for help, the Emperor obviously hasn’t discovered the Okukawa onsen yet. Meaning any files relating to the onsen need to be destroyed as well.  
  
Viktor and Chris go through every option they can think of.  
  
Marry Yuuri - Yuuri would be safe being Viktor’s husband, but would Yuuri want to marry Viktor? Royals were not allowed to divorce once married. It’s a precaution to prevent arranged marriages from breaking apart - Viktor finds it sickening. Viktor doesn’t want to pressure Yuuri into making such a decision. Also, Emperor Katsuki would be outraged by their marriage and war with Hasetsu would be imminent.  
  
Have Yuuri run away - For how long? Yuuri would be miserable and being on the run is no way to live. Viktor wouldn’t be able to contact Yuuri, and there was a chance Viktor may never see or hear from Yuuri again depending on how things played out. Yuuri might die out there and Viktor would never know. The world is dangerous enough as it is and it’s even more so with someone hunting you. Viktor scrapped this option saying that it is too cruel.  
  
Keep Yuuri safe by hiding him in the Castle - Once again the question is for how long? Viktor can’t imagine hiding a person in the Castle would go unnoticed. Maids and servants go in and out of every room throughout the day. Viktor could prevent everyones access to a single room, but then that’d draw suspicion. The people within Viktor’s Castle were very curious people and were bound to find out. The less people that know about Yuuri, the safer Yuuri will be. Furthermore, Yuuri would be imprisoned to one room within his Castle and that’s also no way to live.  
  
As long as Yuuri’s Uncle is the Emperor, there will always be the threat of war no matter what Viktor does. The next heir could stop the war Emperor Katsuki creates, but Yuuri’s Uncle is the type of man who will stop at nothing to get what he wants. He will continue to hunt Yuuri long after the title of temporary Emperor is taken from him. He will also most definitely convince the next heir of Yuuri’s crimes and then the next Emperor will be after Yuuri as well. The only way that Viktor can win this is if Emperor Katsuki is away from Hasetsu when Hasetsu finds its next heir. Then Viktor will have time to reason with the next heir that Yuuri is innocent before Lord Katsuki has a chance to manipulate them - if a new heir is ever found that is.  
  
They conclude that the best and most peaceful option at the moment is to get Emperor Katsuki to leave by following a false lead that Yuuri has left Russeta. Then they’d pray for an heir to be found while Emperor Katsuki is distracted.  
  
“If all else fails and we do go to war, do you think you can get the rest of the mages to help with this? Hasetsu has no royal mage, so to avoid a war Russeta could intimidate Hasetsu by having all the mages on its side.” Viktor reasons. Chris lets out a tired sigh and scratches his head.  
  
“I can try, but a couple of Hasetsu’s allies have royal mages. Emperor Katsuki will drag those allies with mages into this battle. Royal mages are very loyal to the ones they serve. Even if I tell them the truth that Yuuri’s Uncle is crazy, if the one they serve tells them to fight, they will fight for them. The mages will be split between two sides. It’s going to be a deadly war, Viktor.” Chris explains somberly.  
  
“So if I commanded you to do something horrible, would you do it, Chris?” Viktor asks wearily.  
  
“I’d talk _and_ knock some sense into you, but yes... If you really wanted it, I’d do what you’d ask of me.” Chris says quietly.  
  
Viktor can’t do it - he can’t force Chris to kill Emperor Katsuki so it looks like an accident and make Chris live the rest of his life with blood on his hands. Viktor lets out an exhausted huff. _‘Why did this have to happen?’_ He wonders. Viktor remembers something important and lets out a groan.  
  
“I never wrote Yuuri a letter telling him I’m not coming today.” Viktor despairs. Viktor puts his head in his hands. He’s doing all this to protect Yuuri, but in the end Yuuri might not even want to be with him. There’s too much to do tonight so Viktor can’t send Yuuri a letter right now, and it would be too risky for Viktor to visit him in person.  
  
There’s still too much that Viktor doesn’t know about in this situation. He knows Emperor Katsuki was staying in a hotel for three days prior to coming to the Castle, and now Emperor Katsuki has moved his belongings to stay in the guest wing. He’s aware that the Emperor has twenty people in his entourage - a mix or royal guards and elite servants. What he doesn’t know is if Emperor Katsuki has more people in Russeta that he doesn’t know about. Maybe there were some Hasetsu spies in Russeta pretending to be tourists? _Viktor doesn’t know._  
  
“Hey. You can always win Yuuri back. You can’t do that if he’s dragged back to Hasetsu, right?” Chris says, placing a hand on Viktor’s shoulder. Viktor lifts his head to look at his friend and nods his head. Chris smiles, grabs his staff and walks to the window. He holds a hand out to the window and the glass ripples.  
  
“I’m off to talk to the records building workers and make sure all their stories are straight. Try to get some sleep, Viktor. We’ll get this figured out.” Chris says. He doesn’t wait for Viktor’s reply. He promptly hops onto his staff and passes through the rippling glass. The glass solidifies and Chris flies off.  
  
Viktor walks to the window and rests his forehead against the glass. He stares out at his Kingdom and knows Yuuri is out there. He wonders what Yuuri is doing right now and hopes with all his heart that Yuuri’s not crying because he didn’t show up today.  
  
  
\--------------------------------------------------  
  
  
It’s Sunday.  
  
Yuuri wakes to a cool morning breeze wafting at his face. It blows in through his partially opened window and gets warmer with each gust - it’s going to be another hot day. An empty numbness overcomes Yuuri and he feels completely lost and hopeless.  
  
Viktor didn’t show up on Saturday. Yuuri had waited the entire day. Anxiously hoping that Viktor would walk through the onsen’s door, accept Yuuri into his arms and whisper into Yuuri’s ear that ‘everything will be alright.’ Usually if Viktor’s too busy and can’t make it to a date, he sends Yuuri an apologetic letter within the first hour of when he’s supposed to show up. No letters came to the onsen on Saturday.  
  
Yuuri lays on his side, curled in a ball underneath his blanket. He doesn’t have the energy to get up and move. He’s also so emotionally exhausted that he can’t fall back asleep either. The only thing he can do is stare out his window and replay Wednesday’s events again over  & over in his head.  
  
He couldn’t believe the sheer terror that coursed through his body when he saw that _man_. Yuuri thought time had healed him, but one glimpse and years of pure terror came rushing back to him. He ran all the way back to the onsen - no one in the entourage noticed him.  
  
The fear coupled with the anxiety he was dealing with all day left him a sobbing mess hiding underneath his bed. He had never meant to yell at Viktor. He wanted Viktor to stop talking and just stay there with him but he wasn’t in the right state of mind to convey those feelings to Viktor.  
  
After Viktor had left, Minako came into his room and let out a sad sigh. She had left and returned later with a food tray. On it was a glass of water, a large pitcher filled with more water, and some rice, vegetables  & salmon in a bowl. She stood the tray up on its short, stubby legs and placed it on the floor a little away from his bed.  
  
Yuuri ended up falling asleep under there and didn’t wake until one in the morning. The onsen was closed by then and the whole building was dark. Yuuri shakily crawled out from under his bed and chugged two full glasses of water. He scarfed down the food too - he hadn’t eaten anything all day Wednesday except for a piece of toast very early in morning.  
  
The only way he could keep himself sane was to convince himself that he did not see his Uncle, but rather someone who _looked_ like him. Regardless, he refused to leave the onsen until he knew the Hasetsu entourage had left.  
  
A tear slides from Yuuri’s top eye. Gravity pulls it over the bridge of his nose, where it falls and quickly drips across the vision of his bottom eye, and lands with an audible sound onto the fabric of his pillow case. He had cried himself to sleep last night and his eyes feel raw.  
  
He’s startled a little when he hears a piece of paper crash onto the hardwood floor. Yuuri sighs and forces himself to get up. His mother’s letter has once again been knocked onto the floor. Yuuri stands to retrieve it. In one swift, well repeated action, Yuuri scoops the letter up in one hand and pulls open his desk drawer with the other. He’s about to dump it back in the drawer but hesitates. He pushes the drawer closed and pulls out his desk’s chair to sit in it.  
  
He unfolds the letter and reads it. The paper has many dents in it from falling on the floor so often. Once he finishes reading the letter, he rereads it for a second time then places it down on his desk.  
  
_Always remember, Yuuri, you are worthy of love._  
  
He lets out a sigh and looks around his tiny, empty room. He’s never taken the time to think about where he wants his relationship with Viktor to go. Would they move in together? Be a nice big happy family with Viktor’s two teens? Would they marry?  
  
Yuuri pushes his fears  & anxieties about marrying a King away and truly asks himself if he wants to marry Viktor. Tears prick at Yuuri’s eyes because yes, a little voice in his head tells him that he does want to marry Viktor and be with him forever.  
  
He steps over to his bed to grab his glasses from beside his pillow. He puts them on and looks at his clock to see what time it is. It’s 6am - still early, but it’s a reasonable time to go wake Minako up. Minako hasn’t tried confronting him about Wednesday yet. She’s been patiently waiting until he comes to her about it, and now Yuuri is ready.  
  
He changes from his short sleeve pajama shirt and into a long sleeve shirt before heading into the hall. He quickly heads downstairs and checks to see if any mail arrived during the night. There is still no word from Viktor.  
  
He ascends the stairs and slides the door leading to Minako’s personal rooms open. Past the door is a stretch of hallway that’s half as long as the distance it is to get to his room behind him. At the end of this hall is Minako’s bedroom - leading to it on one side is a bathroom and a living space, the other side has a row of windows. Yuuri doesn’t go past this door often - respecting that this is Minako’s space. Minako had offered to convert her living space to give Yuuri a bigger bedroom, but Yuuri turned her down - being perfectly happy with the room he has now.  
  
He walks up to her bedroom door and lightly knocks on it. He waits for a moment listening to hear if she’s gotten out of bed. He knocks again a little louder and finally hears Minako crossing her room to the door. She opens it and looks tiredly at Yuuri.  
  
“Sorry to bug you so early, Minako. Uh...” Yuuri averts his gaze. He hadn’t plan out what he was going to say to her. Unexpectedly tears start dripping from his eyes. Minako blinks and her eyes go wide.  
  
“You don’t think he hates me do you?!” Yuuri sobs.  
  
“No, Yuuri.” She clears her throat to get her voice working properly. She motions for Yuuri to come inside.  
  
“But I yelled at him to go away and he didn’t show up yesterday!” Yuuri continues. He enters Minako’s darkened bedroom. Her bed is to the right. They make their way across the room to a seating area in the corner. Two couches converge in the corner to make an ‘L’ shape. Minako throws curtains open behind each of the couches to let light pour in. She sits on one of the two couches and pats the spot beside her. Yuuri takes a seat next to her on the couch.  
  
“I’m sure he’s just busy, Yuuri. He’s missed dates with you before.” Minako reasons. She wears a short, kimono like robe over her pajamas and pulls a hairclip out of one of the robe's pockets. She gathers her hair in her hands, lifts it to the back of her head and clips it into place.  
  
“But he didn’t send a letter. He always sends a letter.” Yuuri sniffles.  
  
“I’m sure he has a reason for that, Yuuri.” Minako reassures.  
  
Yuuri’s sudden burst of emotion settles down and he wipes his tears away. He hugs his arms around himself and stares down at the floor.  
  
“I don’t want to lose him, Minako. I can’t let things end the way they did. I need to talk to him...” Yuuri trails off.  
  
“But you need help getting to him?” Minako guesses. Yuuri looks at her and nods his head.  
  
“I don’t know... I just don’t know how I’m supposed to be able to talk to him! I can’t imagine that I’m allowed to walk through the front doors of the Castle and demand to speak with him. I.... I don’t know what to do.” Yuuri frets. Minako rubs soothing circles in his back.  
  
“Don’t worry, Yuuri. I hear the Castle guards at the Castle gate are kind of goofy. I’m sure they’ll let us in if we reason with them. They’ll probably escort us through the Castle to make sure we don’t do anything bad, but I promise I’ll get you to Viktor.” Minako says. Yuuri smiles at her, but then his smile fades and his hands start to tremble.  
  
“There’s one other issue. I.... I think I saw my Uncle in Russeta the other day...”  
  
“Is he the one who gave you those scars on your forearms?” Minako asks. Yuuri whips his head to her - staring wide eyed with an expression saying ‘how did you know?’ on his face. Minako smiles at him and squeezes his shoulder.  
  
“Sometimes when you work, you roll your sleeves up without thinking. You try so hard to hide them that no one has asked you about them yet.” Minako explains. Yuuri blushes out of embarrassment for his obliviousness and lightly tugs at the ends of his sleeves. Minako looks off to the side for a second, contemplating something, then turns back to Yuuri.  
  
“I’ve got an idea. How about you write Viktor a letter, and I’ll make sure it gets to him.” Minako says.  
  
“You can do that?” Yuuri asks, a hopeful sparkle shining in his eyes.  
  
“Of course, I promise.”  
  
  
\--------------------------------------------------  
  
  
Minako makes her way along the Russeta streets to Ice Castle. Chris and JJ were helping workers fix Ice Castle yesterday, and they’re finishing the job up today. Minako wanted to watch Chris yesterday, but she needed to stay at the onsen and be available for Yuuri. Now that Yuuri has spoken to her, she can kill two birds with one stone by seeing Chris and helping Yuuri at the same time.  
  
Minako believes that Chris is the easiest and fastest way to get Yuuri’s letter to Viktor. Rumors from within the King’s Castle spread to the Kingdom quite quickly. Considering Yuuri’s name hasn’t been amongst _any_ rumors, Minako assumes that Viktor has kept his love life _very_ secretive. Chris is Viktor’s best friend, so it can be deduced that Viktor has told Chris about Yuuri. She knows her theories could be wrong, but she has to try. Giving this letter to any Castle guard could end up in the wrong hands and she didn’t want any more miscommunication to happen between Viktor and Yuuri.  
  
Minako helped Yuuri all those years ago because Yuuri was the first person from Hasetsu she met in Russeta that was planning on living there. She wanted to do good for a fellow citizen from Hasetsu and gave him a helping hand so he could steady himself on his own two feet. She never knew that he would enter into her heart and become precious family to her. She’s seen such a change in Yuuri since Viktor came into his life and she wants to help Yuuri find his happiness.  
  
She rounds a street corner and the open area around Ice Castle comes into view. Guards watch over barricades that are set up a good distance away from Ice Castle to prevent civilian injuries. Pressed up against the barricades is a huge mass of women lovingly screaming up to Chris and JJ who float on their staves high up in the air. They’re using their magic to hold a new turret in place while workers attach it to Ice Castle. The old decaying turret lays off to the side on the ground between the Castle and the barricade.  
  
The crowd looks tiny in the large open area, but Minako knows there must be at least a thousand people there. Minako approaches the squealing crowd and effortlessly slips her way between bodies to the front of the barricade. She’s slipped through crowds to see Chris so many times now that it has become second nature to her.  
  
Minako glides past the last few women and places her hands on top of the solid barricade. She looks up and smiles at having positioned herself perfectly along the barrier so that she’s centered to where Chris is. All the women around her are screaming and yelling as loud as they can to get the two mages’ attention - it is positively deafening being amidst it all. Minako accepts the challenge of beating everyone else at a volume contest and takes a deep breath of air.  
  
“CHRIS!!!! I HAVE A LETTER FROM YUURI KATSUKKKIIIIIIIII!!!!!!!!!!” She hollers as loudly as she can.  
  
Chris whips his head down to the screaming crowd and the turret jerks slightly. Minako is surprised at how well that got Chris’ attention. Minako takes Yuuri’s letter out of her pocket and waves it out for Chris to see. Chris can be seen saying something to JJ and JJ is seen nodding his head in affirmation. JJ then readjusts the turret and takes on its full weight with his magic as Chris descends down to the ground.  
  
The screaming around Minako gets impossibly louder and women begin trying to push Minako back and shove their way in front of her. Minako holds Yuuri’s letter close to her chest with one hand, death grips the barricade with the other and firmly plants her feet on the ground. Minako has to lean forward as some women start flailing their arms with no regard for the people around them.  
  
Chris raises a hand and the barricade in front of Minako starts to ripple. Minako is leaning forward so much that she stumbles quite a few steps through the barricade. She looks back and the barrier has solidified once more - the women stare at Minako in shock and jealous outrage. Minako turns back and Chris stands before her. Her heart flutters and she has to mentally tell herself to calm down. She smiles and casually hands the letter to Chris. Chris takes it in his hand and looks at it. Minako notices that Chris has bags under his eyes - he looks very tired.  
  
Chris looks back up and takes Minako’s hand. He places a kiss on her knuckles and says, “Thank you.”  
  
With a wink he hops onto his staff and floats back up into the air, heading towards the King’s Castle. Minako hadn’t realized she’d been holding her breath this whole time and she swoons backward. A guard has to leap from his spot by the barricade to catch before she hits the ground. Minako smiles blissfully up to the sky, content that her job at the moment is done.  
  
  
\--------------------------------------------------  
  
  
Chris makes his way back to Viktor’s Castle. He had spent the night prior talking with every worker at the records building and going through all the records and either destroying or falsifying any information that could lead to Yuuri. Chris made sure no file mentioning an onsen in the Kingdom remained. The workers were quite reluctant to destroy information since it would create chaos for their jobs later down the road, but it was a direct order from their King. Afterward, Chris planted a false lead that mentioned that Yuuri stayed in the Kingdom for two years, then traveled further west - away from Hasetsu.  
  
Chris was trying to get the other mages to help with his cause but, as he predicted, the mages allied to Hasetsu were loyal to their leaders, and their leaders were loyal to Emperor Katsuki. Chris was annoyed to have found out that Emperor Katsuki thought this plan out thoroughly and gained the favour of all his allies before coming to Russeta. Now the Hasetsu allied mages were calling for help to avoid a war with Russeta while Chris was doing the same to avoid a war with Hasetsu. The other mages couldn’t agree to joining either side since this battle was over the life of Yuuri Katsuki. Thousands of people would fight and die for the life of _one single person._ They found it ridiculous and it was.  
  
Chris hates that he can’t do more for Viktor. Chris and Viktor have known each other their whole lives and Chris understands the burden that Viktor carries on his shoulders. Apart from carrying the weight of a whole Kingdom, Viktor has suffered through the loss of his parents, and now that he’s finally found someone to be happy with, it’s on the verge of being taken from him.  
  
Chris places a hand over the pocket containing Yuuri’s letter. He takes a quick detour and flies as high as he can into the air to gain privacy from any prying eyes. He pulls out Yuuri’s letter, takes it out of its envelope and quickly reads the contents. He needs to know if he’s about to deliver a break up letter to Viktor.  
  
He finishes reading the last sentence and lets out a sigh of relief. He looks back toward Ice Castle where Minako had screamed Yuuri’s name out loud for all to hear. Chris desperately hopes that the surrounding screams drowned her voice out and hopes that Emperor Katsuki doesn’t have extra spies around the Kingdom. This whole situation is a mess.  
  
He places the letter back in its envelope and continues on his way back to the King’s Castle.  
  
  
\--------------------------------------------------  
  
  
It’s Sunday.  
  
Viktor has to painfully act like everything is normal and go about business as usual. Emperor Katsuki is currently at the records building. Viktor was going to go as well but Yakov nagged at him saying that Viktor had too much work to do. Yakov went to the records building in Viktor’s place.  
  
It was infuriating. The Emperor acted as if he owned Russeta and with the lack of power Viktor had in this situation, Viktor was thinking that the Emperor actually did own this Kingdom.  
  
Viktor’s hands tremble slightly as he tries to go through letters from foreign Kingdoms. He can’t focus on anything and he barely got any sleep last night. There’s a knock on his door and Chris comes in.  
  
“Done with Ice Castle?” Viktor tiredly asks. Chris quickly closes and locks the door and dashes over to Viktor’s desk with a victorious smile on his face.  
  
“The false lead worked!” Chris whispers. Viktor’s face breaks out into a wide grin. Chris continues, “I just ran into Yakov in the hallway and he said that Emperor Katsuki is preparing his things to leave tomorrow afternoon!”  
  
Viktor lets out a happy laugh and his hands stop shaking. It was a small victory, but one nonetheless! Now it was time to pray for a miracle that an heir would be found. Chris digs around his cloak pocket and produces an envelope. He hands it over to Viktor.  
  
“What’s this?” Viktor questions.  
  
“Read it. It’s from your mysterious foreign prince.” Chris says with a wink. Viktor swiftly pulls the letter out of the envelope and unfolds it.  
  
_Viktor,_  
  
_I’m so sorry for yelling at you the other day. I saw someone from my past on Wednesday and it really upset me. I never meant to hurt you. Please, I would like to talk with you. I don’t want things to end this way. Please forgive me._  
  
_I love you._  
  
_Yuuri_  
  
“Chris, he loves me.” Viktor says with a quivering but happy voice. Joyous tears fill Viktor’s eyes.  
  
“I know.” Chris smiles. “We just have to wait for an heir to be found. We’ll make it, Viktor! I think it should be safe enough to deliver a letter to Yuuri.”  
  
Viktor looks up at his tired friend and gives him an expression saying ‘are you sure?’. He's already burdened Chris with so much work already, delivering his letters when Chris was so tired seemed like too much to ask. Chris nods his head that it's okay and smiles.  
  
“I’ll take a nap and recharge.” Chris says. Viktor pulls out a sheet of paper and quickly writes Yuuri a message. Its contents vaguely explain the situation they’re in and raises some alarm, but Viktor wants to take extra precautions just in case. If there are Hasetsu spies lingering in Russeta, it’s better to be safe than sorry. Once done he sticks it in an envelope, writes ‘from Vince’ on the front and gives it to Chris.  
  
“Deliver this when it’s dark out to avoid being spotted.” Viktor instructs.  
  
“Will do! I’ve got time to prepare a barrier spell too. It'll surround the entire onsen and I’ll be alerted if anyone from Hasetsu passes through the barrier.” Chris replies, stuffing Viktor’s letter safely in a pocket in his cloak.  
  
“Perfect! Thank you so much for everything, Chris.” Viktor sighs in relief.  
  
“You’re welcome, Viktor.” Chris says and leaves the study.  
  
A single happy tear falls from one of Viktor’s eyes and his fear subsides. He feels hope blooming in his chest. They were going to make it through this ordeal and everything was going to be fine.  
  
  
\--------------------------------------------------  
  
  
It’s nine thirty at night when Minako comes waltzing into Yuuri’s room. She has a big smile on her face and an envelope in her hand.  
  
“Special delivery!” She sing songs. “I don’t know who dropped this off. It seemed to magically appear on the front desk, but it says ‘from Vince’ on the front!”  
  
 She takes two long strides to Yuuri who’s sitting at his desk and holds the letter out toward him.  
  
“Thank you, Minako.” Yuuri says, words saturated with gratitude. He reaches to take the letter from Minako but she quickly pulls it back out of his reach. Yuuri looks at her in confusion.  
  
“Maybe I should read this just to make sure it’s not something bad?” Minako asks, worried for Yuuri. Yuuri lets out a huff of air, mentally preparing himself for the worst now.  
  
“It’s alright. I’ll be fine.” Yuuri replies. Minako tentatively holds the letter back out to him and Yuuri gently takes it. Minako stays where she is and waits for Yuuri to finish reading the letter. Yuuri steels himself and reads.  
  
_My dearest Yuuri,_  
  
_I am so sorry I couldn’t see you yesterday. There’s a very important matter that I have to attend to. Your Uncle is here and he means you harm. I am doing everything in my power to keep you safe and get him to leave Russeta. In the meantime, I ask that you please stay indoors and notify any customers or employees at the onsen that if anyone asks them about you, they are to respond as if they’ve never heard of you._  
  
_I’ll come see you as soon as I have all this sorted out._  
  
_I  love you, Yuuri._  
  
_Viktor_  
  
Yuuri lowers the letter and sees Minako staring at him expectantly.  
  
“Well?” She asks. Yuuri’s expression was neither happy nor heartbroken, but it was grim looking. Yuuri doesn’t know how to explain how he’s feeling so he hands the letter over for Minako to read. She purses her lips while she reads and hands the letter back to Yuuri once she’s done.  
  
“I’ll take care of notifying the customers and employees. You sure make this place exciting, Yuuri.” Minako says, trying to lighten the mood. “Are you going to be okay?” She asks. Yuuri takes a deep breath and thinks about how he’s feeling.  
  
“Ya, I think so. I’ll be okay, Minako.” Yuuri replies with a forced smile. He doesn’t quite know how to feel in this situation. Yuuri quakes now that it is confirmed that his Uncle is here, but apart from that he feels numb. He can’t do anything right now except wait for Viktor to come.  
  
Minako observes Yuuri carefully to make sure he is indeed okay, then makes her way back down the hall and downstairs. Yuuri decides it’s best to go to bed. He’s absolutely exhausted.  
  
He closes his bedroom door and changes into his pajamas - a loose short sleeved shirt and thin baggy pants that end halfway up his lower legs. He goes back to his desk and picks up Viktor’s letter and tears the bottom part of the letter off. The part that says _‘I love you, Yuuri. Viktor’_. He lifts the envelope Viktor’s letter came in and smells the inside to see if Viktor’s scent lingers in it. It disappoints him that it isn’t and he leaves it on his desk.  
  
Yuuri turns out the lights and climbs into bed. He opens his window halfway to let cool night air into his room. He takes off his glasses and places them beside his pillow. He lays on his side facing the window like he always does and pulls his blanket up and over his ear. He slips the torn off bottom half of Viktor’s letter under his pillow and keeps his hand on it - wanting to feel connected to Viktor in some way.  
  
He closes his eyes and lets the sounds of wind and quiet laughter  & muffled voices from patrons at the onsen lull him to sleep.

 

 

 

 

 

 


	13. No Sleep for the Weary

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Remember the main street description I did back in chapter 2? Where every main street is a bridge in a canal with a drainage system underneath? They're finally mentioned in this chapter lol! Enjoy!

Yuuri's sleep is interrupted by something smacking into his face. Eyes still closed, he scrunches his face up and curls his head down toward his chest. He feels his mind drift back into slumber, but he's smacked in the face once more.  
  
It feels like a paper. Yuuri's groggy dream state mind assumes it's the bottom half of Viktor's letter. Yuuri hasn't budged an inch since he fell asleep, and presses the fingers underneath his pillow down to see if Viktor's letter is still there. He feels the texture of paper on his fingertips and realizes that it is not Viktor’s letter that’s hitting him. He gets smacked in the face yet again - this time the paper clings to his face.  
  
Yuuri's mind comes to the conclusion that the paper is his mother's letter and rolls onto his back.  
  
_'What could they want at this hour?'_  
  
Yuuri is way too tired for it to be five in the morning already. Yuuri lethargically raises an arm and peels the letter from his face, only for it to slip from his fingers and plant itself on his face again. Yuuri draws in a deep breath and finally opens his eyes. He picks the letter up with a stronger grip and lifts it from his face.  
  
Yuuri stares up into the darkness of his room and sees a large dark shadow looming next to his bed. He blinks his bleary eyes to clear them. Upon opening them, he briefly sees something metal looking glint in the moonlight. Yuuri's eyes widen and heart leaps into his throat. The shadow moves - bringing the glinting object downward. Before it hits Yuuri, Yuuri's blanket flies off his bed - enveloping the shadowed figure and pinning them to the wall across the tiny room. Yuuri stares wide eyed at the wriggling blanket. He feels as if his father's spirit is the one pinning the person in place.  
  
Yuuri sits up. His mind whirling. He’s only upright for a second before his mother’s letter flies up to the side of his face and smacks him with enough force to push him back flat onto his bed. Yuuri’s head hits his mattress just as a short blade comes flying through his half opened window right where his head was. The blade embeds into the wall, missing the writhing figure trapped behind the blanket and Yuuri is suddenly very wide awake.  
  
_RUN!_ His mother’s voice seems to scream in his head.  
  
The letter flies up and slips underneath the crack of his bedroom door. Yuuri rolls off his bed and chases after it. He whips open his bedroom door, takes two steps into the hall and blurrily sees a shadow moving at the end of the hall. He sees three objects quickly glinting past every window in the hall and getting closer to him. His mother’s letter plants itself against Yuuri’s chest and pushes him flat against the windowed side of the hall. Three blades whiz past him and make a loud thudding noise as they sink into his bedroom wall above his desk.  
  
The shadow charges down the hallway towards him - another blade glinting in their hand. A window next to Yuuri slides open of its own accord and the letter flies out through the opening. Yuuri doesn’t think twice. He climbs out through the window onto the roof. Cool night air hits his skin. He makes his way to the roof’s edge and jumps off.  
  
Yuuri has never had to leap off something so high before and he lands unskillfully on the cobblestone ground - scraping his knees and spraining a wrist in the process. Yuuri glances over his shoulder back at the roof and sees the figure from the hall coming through the window. He sees another figure high up on the upper roof - Yuuri assumes it’s the one that threw the blade through his bedroom window.  
  
The one on the upper roof had thrown a blade and Yuuri didn’t register it until it was too close. Yuuri leans to the side to dodge it, but the blade cuts deeply across the top of Yuuri’s left shoulder. Yuuri feels the sting of pain for a mere second before it fades. Mind and body focused solely on fleeing to pay attention to any pain he’s feeling.  
  
Yuuri scrambles to his feet and runs down the road. He sees his mother’s letter flit in his peripheral vision and then dart swiftly into an alleyway. Yuuri changes his body’s momentum to go down the alleyway after it. He catches a quick glimpse behind him. Two shadowy figures chase him down the road and a third one with pieces of shredded blanket falling off them pursues from atop the rooftops. More blades are thrown just as Yuuri enters the narrow alleyway.  
  
Three assailants after him. His mother’s letter in front guiding him. Bare feet hitting the ground. The moon a mere sliver providing very little light on this dark night. Not a single soul on the streets at this hour.  
  
The alleyway comes to a stop with paths leading left and right. The letter weaves to the right just as the two ground assailants behind him enter the alleyway. Yuuri follows after the letter. The blanket assailant lands high up on a rooftop in front of Yuuri’s path. They throw blades down the narrow alleyway and then leap down from the roof into the alleyway in front of Yuuri. Yuuri stops and leaps back away from the incoming blades. The blades hit the cobblestone ground with a metallic clang. The blanket assailant draws a sword. Yuuri turns back only to see the other two assailants behind him. They throw blades and continue to charge after him. Yuuri’s heart thunders in his chest. He’s trapped.  
  
Yuuri feels the presence of his father and the blades are swatted out of the air. The blades clang loudly against the walls of the alleyway. His father uses whatever spiritual power he has to try stop these assailants. Hand sized chunks rip out of the buildings around them and whip in either direction toward all the assailants. The assailants seem perplexed, but they easily dodge or deflect the debris and continue to rush towards Yuuri.  His father’s spirit lifts cobblestones from the ground and they effectively trip the blanket assailant. His mother’s letter comes flitting back toward him and pushes against his back urging him to continue forward.  
  
Yuuri rushes past the blanket assailant while his father keeps the assailants occupied as best he can. Yuuri’s mother guides him with her letter into a thin space between two buildings. Yuuri has to shuffle sideways into the opening to fit. Yuuri can hear the sounds of metal and brick banging into each other back in the alleyway behind him. Tears prick Yuuri’s eyes and he keeps his blurry vision on his mother’s letter.  
  
Yuuri comes out of the opening back out onto the streets. Yuuri follows after the letter as it guides him down back streets and a maze of alleyways. Yuuri weaves left  & right through narrow spaces & pathways between buildings.  
  
Yuuri accidentally bashes the toes of his right foot into a loose cobblestone. Yuuri lets out a gasp of pain and limps for a few steps before breaking into a run again. His chest burns and he gasps for air.  
  
The letter before him stops in its path and comes flying towards Yuuri’s face. It slams into Yuuri’s left arm, pushing Yuuri to the side as a blade whizzes past and nicks Yuuri’s left cheek. The assailants are up on the rooftops. They’ve caught up with him again. Shingles and pieces of roof cave in, smash away and rain down behind Yuuri as his father tries to hinder the assailants.  
  
There are too many assailants and the three of them have spread apart from each other. His father can’t stop them all at once. Blades seem to rain down from the sky. Yuuri continues to run. The letter moves sporadically around Yuuri - trying to protect him from the blades. Pieces of the letter get shredded away - the letter becoming smaller and smaller. Blades the letter misses slice at Yuuri’s skin, but none of them hit him directly.  
  
An assailant lands down from the rooftops in front of Yuuri and swings a sword at his neck. Time seems to slow. Yuuri brings his legs to a stop. He leans back in hopes of dodging the blade. It’s not enough. Suddenly, the cobblestones beneath the assailant’s toes lift up and the assailant falls backward onto the ground.  
  
His mother’s letter, now a thin scrap the size of his hand, flits in front of Yuuri’s vision to get his attention and continues onward. Yuuri chases after it and emerges out onto the streets. The letter guides him around a corner onto a wide open main street. The piece of letter flies diagonally across the street towards the main street’s side railing.  
  
The three assailants come charging around the corner wielding swords - all of their throwing blades expended. One of them twirls a bolas in the air and flings it towards Yuuri’s legs. It weakly gets diverted by Yuuri’s father and Yuuri knows his father won’t have enough power to protect him much longer. One assailant finds a remaining blade to throw and whips it at Yuuri. It cuts deeply along Yuuri’s left shoulder - right next to the other wound.  
  
The letter floats over the side railing and down into the canal. Yuuri exhaustedly flings himself over the railing and falls. His fall is softened by a pile of remaining, melting snow. Yuuri’s body rolls down the slope of snow and continues to roll underneath the main street toward the center of the canal. As Yuuri rolls he feels an edge and doesn’t have time to stop himself before he falls five meters down into a dark hole. He lands with a wet splat into cold, knee deep running water. He hears a loud metal clang above him and he’s enveloped in darkness. He sits up onto his hands and knees and tries to get his bearings.  
  
Yuuri realizes he’s in the canal’s snow draining system. Thin trickles of melting snow water and very faint moonlight filter in through metal grates above him. The grates are spaced a meter apart along either side of the tunnel. The tunnel is square in shape and has a waist high ledge on either side that runs the length of the tunnel.  
  
Yuuri hears the large metal door above him that he fell through clang violently as the assailants try to pry the door open to get to him. Yuuri’s heart starts pounding loudly in his ears and tears fall from his eyes. _He’s so scared._  
  
The scrap of his mother’s letter swirls in front of his eyes again and then smacks into the side of the tunnel’s wall. Yuuri forces his aching body to stand and heaves himself up onto the ledge out of the cold water. He places his hands against the stone wall and pushes. It doesn’t budge and inch, so he changes positions. He places his right shoulder against it and uses his full body weight to push into it. Yuuri sees the assailants hands grip the bars of the metal grates and give them a good yank to see if they’ll budge - trying to find another way into the tunnel.  
  
Yuuri desperately pushes against the wall. His feet slide over the damp stones beneath his feet. He hears the assailants pulling on grate after grate to find a loose one to slip into the tunnel. Yuuri hears his mother’s voice in his head saying, _Push harder, Yuuri!_  
  
Yuuri adjusts his position again and finds a good foot placement and pushes. There’s a jolt in the stone wall and it opens just a crack. Yuuri keeps pushing - the thick, heavy stone wall opening so slowly. A metal grate a ways down the tunnel pops out and an assailant drops down into the tunnel. They start charging down the tunnel toward him. With the last of his remaining energy, Yuuri forces the wall open wide enough for him to squeeze in. Once inside, he rams his back against the opposite side of the stone wall and pushes the wall closed.  
  
The scrap of letter plants itself on a metal lever on the wall to Yuuri’s right. Yuuri reaches over and pulls it. He hears gears moving behind the walls and the stone wall is locked in place like a vault door. Yuuri hears ever so faint pounding on the other side of the stone wall, but it’s locked. He’s safe. He slides down the wall to the ground and takes deep sobbing breaths of air.  
  
Yuuri looks at his surroundings. Magic stones illuminate the small area in a warm light. The room he’s in is a tiny square - much like the size of a bathroom. The walls are made of stone and there are no visible exits other than the one he came through.  
  
Yuuri’s heart sinks and he looks for the remainder of his mother’s letter. It’s on the ground underneath the lever. Lifeless - his mother’s spirit exhausted and gone for the time being. Yuuri’s on his own now. He picks up the paper with his right hand, then passes it into his sprained left hand where he grips it tightly.  
  
Yuuri is slowly starting to feel every ache and pain within his body. He’s cold, wet and trembling uncontrollably. He forces himself to stand and pain shoots up from everywhere in his body. He braces his right hand on the wall and shuffles on his battered legs to the opposite side of the stone room. He guesses that this wall will also push open.  
  
Once close enough he leans his body against the side wall and reaches out with his right hand. He touches the back wall and it ripples where he touched it. Yuuri recoils his hand and stares at the rippling stone until it settles. _‘A portal?‘_ Yuuri tentatively reaches out again and slips the tips of his fingers through the rippling wall.  
  
Yuuri reasons with himself that his parents wouldn’t lead him anywhere dangerous. He brings his left hand up to his chest and gives the remaining piece of his mother’s letter a squeeze.  
  
Yuuri takes a deep breath, and walks through.  
  
  
\-------------------------------------------------  
  
  
Viktor groggily wakes from slumber. He lies on his back in his large bed. _‘Something feels.... Off.’_  
  
Viktor cracks open his eyes and stares up at his high ceiling. Moonlight shines into the room from his large windows. He turns his head and spots Makkachin sound asleep on the bed next to him. He scans his eyes across his room and sees a dark shadow standing in the center of his bedroom.  
  
Viktor sits up, alarmed, and pulls a dagger out from under his pillow. He opens his mouth about to yell for his guards but the dark shadow leaps forward. They land closer to the end of Viktor’s bed, wide eyed with finger to their lips and they go, “SSSSSHHHHHHHHH!!!!”  
  
Viktor freezes - mouth still open and words caught in his throat. Viktor isn’t really sure if he’s still dreaming or not. The intruder wears an odd outfit that’s covered in thousands of small jewels that sparkle brilliantly in what little moonlight there is. Viktor blinks slowly and finally his sleepy brain starts to function and form words.  
  
“Who are you?” Viktor asks in a raspy voice.  
  
“Georgi.” The man replies. Viktor recognizes the name and tries to remember where he heard the name before.  
  
_‘Georgi. Isn’t that the name of the mage that Yuuri said was harassed into helping him attend my birthday ball?’_   Viktor vaguely recalls Chris mentioning Georgi’s name at one point too, but can’t remember the reason why Georgi’s name was brought up.  
  
“Hello, Georgi. What are you doing here so late-” Viktor pauses and glances at an intricate clock resting on his bedside table. It reads two forty-five in the morning. “So early in the morning.” Viktor corrects.  
  
“Yuuri Katsuki’s sister has been pestering me. She called me mean names.” Georgi sulks.  
  
“I see.” Viktor comments.  
  
“I don’t get why Yuuri Katsuki’s family can’t bother one of the mages living here. You’ve got two living in the Castle.” Georgi complains. Viktor blinks sleepily at Georgi. Viktor is way too tired for this.  
  
“Well I’m not sure I can help you with that. It’s the middle of the night. You should-”  
  
“Yuuri Katsuki is in danger.”  
  
“What?” Viktor’s heart starts to beat faster. He eyes Georgi skeptically.  
  
“Come! I’ll take you to him.” Georgi says.  
  
Viktor’s not sure if he’s still dreaming or not, but dream Yuuri or real Yuuri, he needs to make sure that Yuuri’s alright. Viktor slides out of bed, slips his feet into slippers, pulls a robe on over his pajamas and uses the waist ties to keep it wrapped warmly around him. He approaches Georgi.  
  
“Where’s Yuuri?” Viktor asks.  
  
Georgi turns around, slightly bends at the knees, thrusts his arms out behind him, looks over his shoulder at Viktor and says, “Climb on my back.”  
  
“What?” Viktor asks, but Georgi gives him a look that says ‘don’t argue with me!’. Viktor sighs and gingerly climbs onto Georgi’s back. Viktor hasn’t ridden on someone’s back in literally two decades. Viktor feels embarrassingly childish for doing this.  
  
Once Viktor is mounted, Georgi stands and goes to Viktor’s windows. Georgi holds a hand out and the glass starts to ripple.  
  
“What are you doing?” Viktor asks, but Georgi ignores him and leaps through the glass out the window.  
  
If Viktor wasn’t awake before, he sure as _Hell_ is now. Cool night air instantly surrounds his whole body and they plummet straight down. Viktor’s stomach flies up into his throat. He’s so shocked that he doesn’t think to scream. His hair and clothes flutter behind them as they fall faster, and faster, and _faster_ towards the ground. They don’t slow. They keep gaining speed! Viktor has a fleeting thought wondering if he just hopped onto Death’s back and Death is taking him straight to Hell.  
  
They reach the ground and Viktor squeezes his eyes shut tight. They pass through the ground and finally begin to slow. Viktor cracks an eye open and only sees darkness. The darkness seems to ripple around them so Viktor assumes they’re still traveling through the ground.  
  
They descend into a lit up tunnel and Georgi comes to a gentle stop on the stone ground. Viktor shakily climbs off Georgi’s back and stumbles to a wall - placing his hands on it to keep himself upright. He takes deep breaths and tries to calm his racing heart.  
  
Once he’s regained his balance, he straightens up and looks around at his surroundings. The tunnel they stand in is about three meters long and has the width and height of any typical hallway. Viktor recognizes the light the magic illuminating stones give off to be the same as the ones used in the two secret passages in the Castle that Viktor knows of. Viktor is currently standing in one of the Castle’s many secret passages that he doesn’t know about. Viktor glances to his left and sees some stairs - Viktor assumes they lead back into the Castle. He looks to his right and sees a dead end. _‘A very useless passage.’_ Viktor thinks.  
  
Georgi faces toward the dead end with his back turned to Viktor.  
  
“Hey,” Viktor address Georgi, “Where’s Yuu-”  
  
“Yuuri Katsuki!” Georgi says loudly. The dead end wall seems to be rippling and Viktor can hear Yuuri’s voice say, “Georgi?”  
  
“Yuuri?” Viktor smiles, stepping to the side to see around Georgi. What Viktor sees makes his heart nearly stop. Viktor barely hears Yuuri sob out his name - Viktor’s mind is spinning. _‘How did this HAPPEN?!’_  
  
Yuuri has tears streaming down his face and he’s bleeding from everywhere. From his face, his shoulder, arms, knees, and feet. He’s soaking wet and his skin is so pale. Yuuri is stumbling his way toward Viktor and Viktor finally comes to his senses and goes to Yuuri.  
  
“Viktor!” Yuuri cries and grabs onto Viktor’s robe with his outstretched right hand. Viktor whips his robe off and ever so gently places it on Yuuri’s shoulders.  
  
“Yuuri.” Viktor says, voice trembling with emotion. Yuuri grabs onto Viktor's shirt with his right hand and buries himself into Viktor’s chest. Viktor tentatively embraces him. Yuuri cries into his chest and tears prick at Viktor's own eyes. Tears of frustration, fear and fury. He holds Yuuri a little tighter.  
  
“I take my leave.” Georgi mutters more to himself and disappears.  
  
“Yuuri, what happened?” Viktor demands, gently pulling Yuuri away from his chest so they can look each other in the eye.  
  
“T-There w-were three men.” Yuuri gasps between sobs. Viktor lets out a furious hiss. _‘Emperor Katsuki is behind this!’_  
  
“Listen Yuuri, I didn’t tell you everything that’s going on in my letter to you. Your Uncle... He’s currently the Emperor of Hasetsu.” Yuuri’s eyes widen and he stands frozen with fear. Viktor grimaces and continues.  
  
“Your Uncle is here in Russeta right now to get you, Yuuri. He’s going to hunt you down no matter where you go-”  
  
“Why can’t he just leave me alone!” Yuuri sobs hysterically. Viktor winces. He’s supposed to be soothing Yuuri, not frightening him more!  
  
“I know, Yuuri.” Viktor sighs. Viktor pulls Yuuri to his chest while he tries to think of something, anything to protect Yuuri. He thinks about the marriage option. Yuuri would be protected from further harm, but then Russeta and Hasetsu would be at war.  
  
_‘Think of something! Think, think, think!!’_ Viktor screams at himself. He wracks his brain. His body begins to tremble along with Yuuri’s and Viktor starts to think believe that it’s hopeless.  
  
Then it dawns on him.  
  
Before Viktor couldn’t poke holes in Emperor Katsuki’s accusation of Yuuri because Viktor was pretending not to know Yuuri. Now if Viktor marries Yuuri he can keep Yuuri safe and then he can start unraveling Emperor Katsuki’s story. Viktor knows that this plan could fail, but it’s the only option he has.  
  
Viktor tenderly pulls Yuuri away from his chest again and looks Yuuri in the eye.  
  
“Yuuri.” Viktor says softly. “There is a way that I can protect you.” Viktor bites his lower lip - he is extremely apprehensive to be bringing this up. They haven’t had a chance to talk things out yet.  
  
“If you marry me-”  
  
Yuuri’s body turns rigid. Yuuri's fingers slacken their grip on Viktor's shirt and his arm falls back to his side. Yuuri slowly averts his gaze.  
  
“It only has to be on paper, I promise, okay? _Yuuri, please!_ I’m begging you! Let me protect you!” Viktor pleads, grabbing onto Yuuri’s upper arms.  
  
“I-I do want to marry you, Viktor. I just d-didn’t think it’d be so soon.” Yuuri whispers.  
  
Viktor can’t help himself. Hearing that Yuuri wants to marry him sends a surge of joy through his body. Viktor gently takes both of Yuuri’s hands into his own and gets down on one knee. Viktor knows this isn’t the time to be doing this, but Viktor needs to show Yuuri that this means more than just signatures on a piece of paper.  
  
“These aren’t the circumstances under which I wanted to ask you to marry me, Yuuri. I love you and truly want to spend the rest of my life with you. Yuuri, will you marry me?”  
  
Yuuri manages a small smile and a tear of joy slides down his tear stained face.  
  
“Yes.” Yuuri softly replies.  
  
Viktor is bursting with happiness. He stands, gently buries one hand into Yuuri’s hair while the other holds the base of Yuuri's neck and he places a kiss onto Yuuri’s lips. Their second kiss shared between their lips.  
  
Viktor takes hold of Yuuri’s right hand. Yuuri’s left hand is preoccupied with holding a scrap of paper.  
  
“There’s still a lot to do. Come on.” Viktor murmurs, quickly tugging Yuuri towards the stairs. Yuuri stumbles on his bruised  & bleeding feet and Viktor greatly reduces his pace.  
  
They go up the spiraling staircase and come to a thin door. The stairs continue upward to what seems to be the rest of the Castle with exits on each floor. They need to get to Yakov’s room. Yakov’s room used to be on the top floor of the Castle, but Yakov hates stairs so much that he had moved his room down to the third floor. Viktor couldn’t be more thankful for that decision.  
  
They reach the third floor exit and Viktor slowly opens the door and peeks out. The light from the passageway seeps out into a darkened hallway. Viktor hears the distinct sound of guards patrolling the halls. Viktor closes the door and waits for a minute while they pass. Viktor doesn’t want the guards to be alerted and cause a ruckus. If there's a ruckus, Emperor Katsuki would be notified and Viktor needed to be married to Yuuri before that happens.  
  
They have to step down when they leave the secret passage. The secret passage’s door is hidden in a square shaped, decorative pillar. Each floor has many of these pillars lining the halls. It’s very well hidden.  
  
They sneak their way along the halls and avoid the patrols until they reach Yakov’s room. Viktor sees a faint candlelight seeping out from under Yakov’s door and wonders if Yakov is awake at this hour. Yakov used to wake in the middle of the night from nightmares about Viktor’s parents’ deaths, but Viktor thought Yakov stopped having those.  
  
Viktor doesn’t knock. He tries the door handle, finds that it’s unlocked and pushes the door open. He takes one step into the room so that he is visible, but makes sure that Yuuri remains hidden in the hall.  
  
Yakov’s room opens into his study first. Yakov’s bedroom is attached to the study through a door to the right. Windows line the wall opposite the door. Yakov’s desk is to the left and behind the desk are floor to ceiling built in bookshelves. Yakov sits at his desk with an alcoholic drink in his hand. A single lit candle atop his desk lights up the room. Yakov looks over, sees Viktor, places his drink down on his desk and begins scolding Viktor.  
  
“Viktor, are you sneaking out of the Castle again?! You are a King! You have responsibili-”  
  
Viktor doesn’t have time for this. Viktor steps further into the room and pulls Yuuri along with him. It effectively makes Yakov shut up. Viktor lets go of Yuuri’s hand to close the door and that’s when Viktor notices that Yuuri has left behind a trail of blood droplets. They didn’t have a lot of time. Viktor hears Yakov let out a long, tired sigh.  
  
"Is this the one you're courting?" Yakov asks. Viktor nods his head and takes his place beside Yuuri once again.  
  
“He's Yuuri Katsuki isn't he?” Yakov asks, but he already knows the answer.  
  
“Yakov, we need to-”  
  
“Save it, Viktor. I won't allow it.” Yakov cuts him off, standing up from his seat. Viktor is flabbergasted.  
  
“Why not?” Viktor demands. Viktor looks at Yuuri and grits his teeth. He did not think this would be an issue right now. “Plenty of royals have married commoners before. If this is about status, Yuuri is a nobleman from Hasetsu.”  
  
“No, Viktor. He was a nobleman. Right now he's a wanted criminal!” Yakov snaps.  
  
“You believe what Emperor Katsuki told you?! He's _lying_ , Yakov.”  
  
“This isn't a matter of who's lying right now, Viktor. We're talking about war with the entire eastern side of the continent! I'm not going to let you risk the lives of _thousands_ for one man.”  
  
“Yakov-”  
  
“NO, Viktor! You are King! You need to stop being so selfish and think about your kingdom!” Yakov sneers.  
  
_'Stop being selfish?!'_ Viktor thinks furiously. Viktor has given his whole life to this Kingdom, to other royals, and to his people. Now he's being told to kill off the one thing that makes his life worth living! Viktor glares at Yakov and opens his mouth to scream at the man, but Yuuri tugs on his hand to stop him.  
  
“Viktor, please. It's too much trouble. Don't worry about it. I'll be fine.” Yuuri quietly pleads.  
  
Viktor can’t believe what he’s hearing. He goes through all his options in his head again. It’s too late to run and Yuuri can’t run in the condition he’s in. Yakov can’t lie to save his own life so now that he knows Yuuri is here, Yuuri isn’t safe within the Castle either. All of his options lead to Yuuri leaving his life forever in some way. The fires of rage die down inside Viktor and in its place sadness and despair takes over. Convincing Yakov is the only way. Large tears start dripping from Viktor’s eyes. He looks Yakov straight in the eye.  
  
“I can prove he’s innocent, Yakov. Please let me marry him.” Viktor quietly begs. Yakov’s expression softens and he seems to mirror Viktor’s sadness.  
  
“I’m sorry, Vitya. The answer is no.” Yakov replies softly.  
  
Viktor’s whole body is filled with grief. He takes in a sobbing breath and holds Yuuri to his chest. Viktor doesn’t know what to think right now. His mind is filled with so many thoughts, so many emotions and so much stress that Viktor can’t process it all. He’s in so much mental pain that his mind shuts down and he feels eerily calm. He feels nothing.  
  
Tending to Yuuri’s wounds becomes Viktor’s main concern right now. Viktor pulls away from Yuuri to take Yuuri’s hand again. Yuuri also seems uncannily calm. Viktor assumes they’re in the same state of mind right now. Viktor tugs Yuuri toward the built in bookshelf in the corner by the windows.  
  
“Vitya, what are you doing?” Yakov asks, fatigued.  
  
“Spending what little time I have left with the one I love.” Viktor bites back. Viktor lets go of Yuuri’s hand, stoops down and lifts the right side of one of the lower shelves. The books on that shelf all slide and tilt to the left. The shelf normally covers a tiny, flat button. Viktor pushes it and a ‘click’ is heard. He sets the shelf back down, the books settling back into place, and easily pulls the entire bookshelf forward and to the side.  
  
Yakov watches with wide eyes. Viktor takes hold of Yuuri’s hand and pulls him into the second secret passage that Viktor knows of. It’s another lift like the one in his bedroom. This one can stop at any floor and only travels up and down the Castle. Viktor presses the button to reach the top floor where his room is. The bookshelf moves back into its original place and the lift begins to ascend.  
  
After discovering the secret lift in his bedroom as a young teen, Viktor had gone to every bookshelf in the Castle in hopes of finding more secret passages. He’d discovered this secret lift on the fifth floor of the Castle and rode it all the way to the top to see where it ends. He never used it again after finding out its final destination.  
  
The lift comes to a stop and a ‘click’ is heard. Viktor pushes the bookshelf in front of them forward and out of the way and freezes at the sight. His parents’ room. Looking exactly the same before his parents were murdered. Servants and maids cleaned the room regularly, but Viktor never uses the room for anything. Viktor hasn’t had the heart to get rid of it either. It’s a physical memory that haunts Viktor.  
  
Viktor steps into the room - pulling Yuuri along. The bookshelf rolls back into its spot and makes a ‘click’ sound as it locks back into place. Viktor leads Yuuri to the door and tries his best to avoid looking at the bed.  
  
The memory of the night of the murder is burned so clearly into Viktor’s mind. He remembers waking up to panicked yells and cries of grief. The sounds of running feet as guards and servants dashed through the hallway outside his door. His six year old self had slid out of bed and wandered over to his parents’ room. People were everywhere and Yakov was in the hall barking orders.  
  
Viktor had ignored them all and slipped into his parents’ room. His mother was lying on her stomach. Her beautiful, long hair covered her face  & back and one of  her delicate arms dangled over the side of the bed. Viktor went up to her and tugged on her hand. She was cold. His young self could tell there was something wrong but he didn’t know what it was. He climbed on the bed and shook his mother’s shoulder. Tears pricked in his eyes. He continued to shake her and cried out to her and that’s when he noticed all the blood. Her throat was slit. He looked to his father and saw him lying on his back, staring lifelessly up at the ceiling, throat slit as well.  
  
It was only then that someone noticed Viktor was in the room. Yakov had run in and pulled him out. Everything after that is hazy to him. Viktor hates that he can remember it all so clearly. Viktor whips open the door, steps out of the room and runs into a guard patrol.  
  
“My King!” They exclaim. “Are you alright?!”  
  
They stare alarmed at Viktor’s shirt and at Yuuri - hands ready to draw their weapons. Viktor looks down at his pajamas and sees it’s stained with Yuuri’s blood. Viktor is tired. So very, very tired.  
  
“Would you do me a huge favour. Grab a mop, go down to the third floor, start at Yakov’s room and clean up any blood you see on the floor. I don’t want to throw the Castle into a panic.”  
  
“Y-Yes, your Majesty! Right away!” They holler. They hover for a second waiting to see if Viktor will ask for medical assistance. Viktor glares at them and they run off to do as they’re told.  
  
Finally in his bedroom, Viktor takes Yuuri through a short hallway that houses Viktor’s massive walk in closet, and into the bathroom. Viktor’s bathroom is unnecessarily large. Yuuri’s bedroom could fit in the bathroom and there’d still be space to fit another one of Yuuri’s bedrooms beside it, with another two stacked on top of those. Large, frosted glass windows are to the left along with a long counter with two sinks, and to the right is a mirrored wall and a walk in shower. Across from the entrance is a door that leads to the toilet and right in the center of the room is a large circular bathtub built down into the floor.  
  
Viktor turns the lights on, brings Yuuri to the shower and sits him on a built in seating bench. Viktor grabs the shower head and turns it on - adjusting the water’s temperature so it won’t scald Yuuri. Once he finds a good temperature he places the shower head down and ever so gently helps Yuuri out of his clothes. Viktor pulls on the scrap of paper in Yuuri’s hand, but Yuuri holds onto it tightly, refusing to relinquish it. Viktor makes a mental note to try to avoid soaking.  
  
Viktor grabs the shower head and starts at Yuuri’s feet. He washes away the dried blood and gradually makes his way up Yuuri’s body. As the blood rinses away, it reveals underneath large bruises that are still taking form. Viktor cleanses Yuuri’s tear stained face along with the cut on his cheek. Yuuri hisses in pain when Viktor starts washing the two deep wounds on his left shoulder.  
  
Afterward, Viktor pats Yuuri dry with a towel then wraps another towel around Yuuri’s shoulders. He lifts Yuuri into his arms so Yuuri won’t further aggravate the wounds on his knees and feet, and carries Yuuri to his walk in closet. Viktor has been secretly stocking up his closet with clothing & formal attire for Yuuri. Viktor is thankful that he bought pajamas and undergarments for Yuuri as well. Viktor seats Yuuri down on a chair in the closet and clothes Yuuri. The pajamas are meant for winter and have long pants and a long sleeved button up shirt. They haven’t said a single word to one another since leaving Yakov’s room.  
  
There’s a knock on the open closet door and Viktor whips his head around to see who it is while taking a protective stance in front of Yuuri. It’s Yakov, and behind him are one of the Castle’s doctors and a nurse.  
  
“Vitya. A word?” Yakov asks. Yakov looks as if he feels guilty and wants to apologize for their argument earlier, and Viktor knows for a fact that Yakov never apologizes for anything. Yakov is a very stubborn and proud man.  
  
Viktor eyes the doctor and the nurse.  
  
“They won’t hurt him.” Yakov reassures. Viktor sighs and lifts Yuuri into his arms again. Viktor’s mental numbness starts to wear off and he feels the flood of thoughts and emotions begin to swirl around in his head again.  
  
The lights in Viktor’s bedroom have all been turned on. Viktor places Yuuri down on a couch in the seating area by his built in bookshelves and the doctor and nurse set to work. The nurse rolls up Yuuri’s pant legs to tend to his knees & feet while the doctor unbuttons Yuuri’s shirt and tends to his left shoulder.  
  
Makkachin, who’s awake and groggily lying on the bed, is overjoyed to see Yuuri and bounds over to him. She lies on the couch to Yuuri’s right and rests her head down on his right thigh. Yuuri idly starts petting her and it seems to calm him.  
  
Yakov waits for Viktor by the open bedroom door. Viktor joins him and they stand in the doorway. Viktor makes sure he can see Yuuri from where he’s standing.  
  
“I uh... Tried out that secret passage.” Yakov mutters, looking down the hall toward Viktor’s parents’ room.  
  
“When was the last time you set foot in there?” Viktor asks. Curious to know if he’s not alone in being haunted by the room.  
  
“Years.” Yakov replies. “Your parents were like family to me, Vitya. We were very close.”  
  
Yakov’s eyes glaze over for a minute - lost in a distant past memory. Viktor’s hands begin to tremble, so he crosses his arms over his chest and watches Yuuri. Viktor traces his eyes over Yuuri’s form. Trying to remember every little detail because in a few hours, Yuuri will be taken from him. Tears spill from Viktor’s eyes and he can feel Yakov watching him.  
  
“Can you really prove his innocence?” Yakov asks. Viktor turns his tear filled eyes toward Yakov.  
  
“I don’t know, Yakov. But I need to be given the chance to at least try.” Viktor says. Yakov nods his head in understanding and pulls a folded paper from a pocket in his robe. He opens it up and shows Viktor that it’s a marriage document. Viktor looks into Yakov’s eyes, trying to understand the reasoning.  
  
“Why, Yakov?” Viktor gasps.  
  
“Cause I don’t like how Russeta is being bullied and being made a fool of by that conniving man! Now hurry up and sign this before I change my mind!” Yakov lies. It’s so painfully obvious he’s lying. Yakov is too proud to admit the real reason why he’s suddenly allowing the marriage and Viktor knows that he’ll never know the real reason.  
  
Viktor takes the marriage document and they enter back into the room. He finds a pen and signs his name along the proper line. He goes over to Yuuri and motions for the doctor and nurse to give them a minute. The nurse pauses what she’s doing while the doctor finishes stitching closed one of the two wounds on Yuuri’s shoulder.  
  
They move off to the side and Viktor kneels before Yuuri. Viktor takes Yuuri’s right hand and places the pen in it. He turns the marriage document toward Yuuri and points at the line Yuuri needs to sign.  
  
“Sign your name here, Yuuri.” Viktor quietly says.  
  
“I...I can’t, Viktor.” Yuuri replies. New tears form in his eyes and his hand loosely holds the pen. “I can’t make you go to war because of me.”  
  
“Yuuri, we won’t go to war. I’ll protect you and my Kingdom. I promise.” _‘Please don’t do this to me now, Yuuri.’_  
  
Viktor doesn’t know what compels him to look down, but he does and sees that Yuuri’s grip on the scrap of paper has loosened. Written on it in smudged ink are the words ‘worthy of love’. Viktor surmises that this paper means a lot to Yuuri considering Yuuri has held onto it this entire time. Viktor reaches up with his left hand and cups Yuuri’s right cheek.  
  
“Yuuri, you’re worthy of love.” Yuuri’s eyes widen and a few tears slip from his eyes. Viktor lets out the breath he was holding and continues. “You’ve been kind and selfless your whole life. It’s okay to be selfish, Yuuri. You’re allowed to live and be happy.”  
  
Yuuri sniffs a few times, soaking in Viktor’s words, then grips the pen in his hand. Viktor holds the paper steady while Yuuri signs it. Once done, Viktor stands, places a kiss atop Yuuri’s head and nods to the doctor and nurse to let them know they can continue. He goes back to Yakov and hands the paper to him.  
  
“We need two witnesses to sign the paper. They must either be a royal or have high ranking status within the hierarchy. I’m the official that overlooks the document so I can’t contribute to the witness signatures.” Yakov explains.  
  
Viktor nods his head and turns to get two witnesses . He steps out into the dark hallway and sees Chris standing just outside the door looking distraught.  
  
“Chris!” Viktor exclaims, startled. “Is everything alright?”  
  
Chris falls down to one kneel and bows his head to Viktor.  
  
“Forgive me, my King. I’ve failed to protect your love.”  
  
“What? No, Chris! It’s not your fault. Please, I forgive you.” Viktor says, trying to get his friend to stop being so formal with him. Chris stands and looks at Yuuri through the doorway.  
  
“What happened?” Viktor asks.  
  
“The barrier I set up around the onsen would only alert me if anyone from _Hasetsu_ neared the premises. I didn’t even know Yuuri was in danger until he ran through my barrier _leaving_ the onsen. It never occurred to me that Emperor Katsuki would hire foreigners to help him.” Chris has a look of pure guilt in his eyes. He blames himself that Yuuri got hurt but it’s not his fault. It pains Viktor to see his friend feeling this way. Chris continues.  
  
“I immediately left with JJ and we found a trail of destruction leading from the onsen all the way to one of the main streets. We found three assassins in the drainage system and apprehended them. We brought them to the prison and the guards there managed to get some information out of them.  
  
They said Emperor Katsuki hired them early in the morning on Saturday - before the Emperor came to speak with you. They were hired as an extra precaution in case your help was fruitless. They discovered Yuuri’s whereabouts when Minako shouted out his name in public yesterday. They followed her back to the onsen.  
  
Turns out Emperor Katsuki isn’t leaving tomorrow because he’s following the false lead. He’s leaving tomorrow because the assassins notified him that they found Yuuri, and they were supposed to dispose of Yuuri tonight.”  
  
Viktor sighs. He hopes that there are no more surprises, spies or assassins.  
  
“Thank you for everything, Chris. Will you do me one last huge favour and sign my marriage document as a witness?”  
  
“You’re getting married, then?” Chris asks. Chris wants to be happy and smile, but he knows that the marriage will bring up other complications in their dilemma.  
  
“Ya, I’m getting married. I’m going to fight and prove Yuuri’s innocence tomorrow.” Chris nods his head in understanding. Viktor feels fear creep into his body. He’s still not officially married to Yuuri yet which means Yuuri is still in danger. “Excuse me, Chris, I have to go get another witness.”  
  
Viktor walks down the hall to JJ’s room, figuring that since JJ’s awake it’ll be easier to get him to sign the paper. He knocks on the door and opens it to see that JJ isn’t there. Viktor assumes that Chris sent him off to do some other task.  
  
Mila’s and Nikolai’s rooms are too far away so that leaves Yuri. Viktor goes to Yuri’s room and knocks on the door. He walks into the room and goes to the sleeping teen bundled in blankets.  
  
“Yuri.” Viktor says, lightly shaking the teen’s shoulder.  
  
“Yuri.” Viktor says again, continuing to shake. The teen groans. Suddenly a fist comes flying out of the blankets and Viktor barely moves his head out of the way in time to dodge it.  
  
“Yuri!” Viktor grumbles.  
  
“What...?” Yuri mumbles. He partially cracks his eyes open, then closes them again. Viktor huffs and scoops the teen into his arms. Yuri has tangled one of the blankets around his body and Viktor ends up dragging that with him. He carries the teen back to his lit bedroom and the teen scrunches his face up in distaste.  
  
Chris and Yakov part out of the way as Viktor makes a path to his bed. He sits the teen down on the bed and grabs the pen  & document from Yakov. Yuri’s eyes are open and he looks like he wants to murder someone. Viktor holds the pen out to Yuri and points at the document where he needs to sign.  
  
“Sign here please.” Viktor says.  
  
“What happened to your shirt?” Yuri asks, staring at the dark red blood stains.  
  
“It got dirty. Just please sign here.” Viktor replies.  
  
Yuri grabs the pen and frees his other arm from his blanket to grab the document. His eyes quickly scan the paper to see what it is he’s signing. He looks at the signatures on the page and his annoyed frown deepens.  
  
“He has the same name as me?!” Yuri shrieks.  
  
“Yuri!!” Viktor hisses. Yuri whips his head around to glare at the doctor, nurse and Yuuri. His frown slackens when he takes in Yuuri’s injuries and tear streaked face. Yuri turns his head back and neatly scrawls his name across the proper line.  
  
Yakov takes the paper & pen from him, places it on the bedside table and signs it as the official overlooker. He then pulls out a stick of wax from his robe pocket and Chris steps up to provide a small flame to melt it. It drips onto the document and Yakov presses his seal ring into it. He lifts the paper up and inspects it to make sure everything is in order.  
  
“Congratulations, Vitya, you’re married.” Yakov says. Viktor breaks out into a wide smile and all the tension leaves his body. Yuri lightly kicks Viktor’s shin to get his attention.  
  
“Hey! Carry me back to my room.” Yuri says.  
  
“You have legs, you can walk.” Viktor responds.  
  
“You expect me to walk on these cold ass floors with bare feet?!” Yuri hollers.  
  
“Yuratchka, language!” Yakov scolds.  
  
“It’s three in the morning, Yakov!” Yuri bites back. Yakov grunts and lets it slide. Viktor looks to Chris hoping that Chris can use some sort of magic to levitate Yuri back to his room.  
  
Chris cocks an eyebrow at Viktor, crosses his arms and says, “he’s your kid. You tuck him back into bed.”  
  
Viktor sighs, scoops Yuri back into his arms and leaves to return Yuri to his room.  
  
  
\----------  
  
  
Yuuri watches as Viktor leaves with his son in his arms. Viktor’s son looks a lot different from what Yuuri imagined. Yuuri can’t believe he signed the marriage paper. He believed Viktor’s words and chose to be selfish, but now he’s regretting it with every fiber of his being. Yuuri has felt numb ever since leaving Yakov’s room. He realizes he’s only barely keeping himself together. Makkachin is sound asleep with her head on his leg. He runs his hand through her fur and it calms him enough to keep him sane.  
  
The nurse has spent most of her time picking pebbles and bits of dirt out of cuts on the bottoms of his feet. She’s finally in the process of bandaging them. Yuuri’s right big toe nail cracked down the middle from bashing it into that loose cobblestone. It throbs painfully with every beat of his heart.  
  
The doctor finishes bandaging all the wounds on Yuuri’s upper body and helps Yuuri put his pajama shirt back on. Once done he leaves to go talk to Yakov. The nurse finishes with his legs and she begins packing up their tools and medical supplies. Chris approaches Yuuri, kneels before him and picks up Yuuri’s right hand.  
  
“It’s a pleasure to finally meet you, Yuuri. I’m Viktor’s friend, Chris.” He introduces himself and places a kiss on Yuuri’s knuckles.  
  
“I am so sorry that I couldn’t protect you.” He continues, his eyes downcast. Chris turns Yuuri’s hand over and places Yuuri’s glasses into his palm. Yuuri curls his fingers around them  
  
“I-It’s not your fault.” Yuuri quietly stutters. “U-Um... Do you know if Minako is okay?” Tears fill Yuuri’s eyes and he bites his bottom lip to keep himself from sobbing out loud. Chris squeezes his hand reassuringly.  
  
“She’s fine. Don’t worry. A friend of mine, JJ, is with her now. We moved her to a fancy hotel room for the time being and JJ’s going to stay with her. She’s really worried about you. Speaking of, I’ll let JJ know that you’re okay.” Chris turns Yuuri’s hand over again, places another kiss on his knuckles and leaves the room.  
  
The doctor and the nurse finish their business and take their leave as well - leaving Yuuri alone with Yakov. Yakov scares Yuuri. Yakov seems to have a constant scary expression on his face. Yakov starts to walk toward Yuuri and Yuuri begins to fidget nervously with the remaining scrap of his mother’s letter.  
  
Yakov sits directly in front of Yuuri on the coffee table in front of the couch. It’s too close for Yuuri’s comfort. Yakov’s eyes bore into Yuuri’s eyes.  
  
“Do you love Vitya?” He asks in his gruff voice.  
  
“E-Excuse me?” Yuuri assumes ‘Vitya’ is Viktor, but he’s not entirely sure. Yakov clears his throat and tries again.  
  
“Do you love Viktor?”  
  
“With all my heart.” Yuuri murmurs.  
  
Yakov nods his head and stops staring so intensely at Yuuri. The tension dissipates some, then comes back full force as an awkward silence falls between them. Seconds feel like an eternity until finally Yakov begins to speak.  
  
“Viktor never cries. Never. he cried for six months after his parents death then never again. His eyes fill with tears, but they never fall. Now I’ve seen him cry at least three times within the span of five days because of you. My Vitya's grown so much so fast. He's already a true King and I never even noticed.” Yakov speaks like a father that’s suddenly realizing that his son isn’t a child anymore. He stares at Yuuri with awe - proud tears filling his eyes.  
  
“Vitya loves you.” He states. He picks up Yuuri’s left hand and cups it between his own hands. He holds Yuuri’s hand as if it were something precious.  
  
Viktor finally returns and makes his way towards them. Yakov releases Yuuri’s hand and beings to furiously wipe his tears away. Yakov stands and turns to Viktor.  
  
“Get some rest. You’ll need it for tomorrow. And change your clothes! It’s unsanitary. You could get sick!” Yakov reprimands.  
  
“Will do.” Viktor tiredly replies.  
  
Yakov leaves and closes the door behind him. Viktor goes to the door and locks it. He returns to Yuuri’s side and picks Yuuri up. Makkachin isn’t too happy to be woken up for a second time that night. Yuuri hates that Viktor is carrying him everywhere - surely he must be heavy!  
  
“I can walk.” Yuuri whispers.  
  
“I’m not taking you far.”  
  
Viktor brings Yuuri to the bed and tucks him neatly under the covers. Makkachin makes her way back to the bed and flops down at the foot of the bed. Viktor gently plucks the piece of paper from Yuuri’s left hand, takes the glasses from his other hand and places them safely down side-by-side on the bedside table.  
  
“I’ll be right back.” Viktor says and leaves to go turn out all the lights.  
  
Yuuri watches as Viktor goes into the walk in closet and comes back out wearing a clean pair of pajamas and holding a necklace in his hand with a little pendant on the end. Viktor slides into the bed next to Yuuri and motions for Yuuri to lift his head so Viktor can slip the necklace around his neck.  
  
“Chris made this for me. It’s a protective charm. I wore it every time I went out to see you. I should’ve given this to you in the letter I sent last night.” Yuuri can see the pain and regret Viktor feels on his face. Viktor tucks the pendant into Yuuri’s shirt. He shuffles until he’s right beside Yuuri and wraps his arms around Yuuri - pulling their bodies close.  
  
Yuuri is so tired and wants to close his eyes but they seem to be stuck open. The silence is deafening.  
  
“I’m sorry.” Yuuri whispers.  
  
“For what?” Viktor asks.  
  
“For everything! For my Uncle, for this situation we’re in right now, for-”  
  
“It’s not your fault, Yuuri.” Viktor hushes. “I’m just glad you’re okay.” His voice cracks.  
  
He pulls Yuuri closer and buries his face into Yuuri’s dark hair - body shaking with sobs. Yuuri cries into Viktor’s chest and they weep until exhaustion pulls them to sleep.

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter turned out bloodier than I was expecting D:  
> This weekend I'm off to an anime convention, so no chapter (゜Д゜;)


	14. Let's End This

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Omg all my friends seem to be born in June @_@ Birthday outings every weekend so far >_> Sorry for the delay! Enjoy!

Viktor is woken by an excited Makkachin breathing heavily into his ear. He peels open his crusty eyes and lets out a peeved huff. He can see through his large bedroom windows beams of sunlight streaking across a clear, cloudless sky.  
  
Viktor hasn't moved an inch since he fell asleep those few hours ago. Yuuri sleeps against his chest. Safe and sound in his arms. Bitter thoughts of last night flood his mind, but then Viktor remembers something that gives him a warm sensation of joy. _'My husband is sleeping next to me in my bed.’_  
  
He smiles down at Yuuri's head and wishes that he could see Yuuri's face. Viktor knows there is much to do and much to discuss. A sense of urgency still lingers about in the air. Viktor allows himself to enjoy the moment for the time being lest he exhaust himself.   
  
Makkachin pulls Viktor from his thoughts when she places two paws on his hip - about to climb over him and wake Yuuri up. Viktor reaches out with one of his arms and pushes her back.  
  
" _No_." Viktor quietly chides his dog.  
  
There's faint knocking on his bedroom door and Viktor assumes it's the maid sent to wake him up. Makkachin bounces off the bed and runs to the door. Viktor carefully extracts himself from Yuuri and makes his way to the door.  
  
He opens the door six inches wide and stands in the crack to keep Yuuri hidden from view and to prevent the noise from waking Yuuri. Viktor is shocked to see nearly ever maid that works for him standing in the hallway. All of them smiling brightly and some even blushing.  
  
"My King," the maid closest to him says in a hushed voice. "We heard your lover is here with you!"   
  
Viktor's eyebrows shoot up in surprise. He didn't expect word that his lover is here to get out so quickly. A few maids giggle joyously at the thought of their King spending the night with his lover and others shush them to keep the noise down. Some maids try to stand on their toes to see over Viktor in an attempt to catch a glimpse of Yuuri.  
  
Viktor thinks about how he wants to proceed with the day. His mind is hazy from lack of sleep and Yuuri needs his rest as well. Emperor Katsuki will be leaving in the afternoon. Viktor quickly decides his plans and conveys it to his maids.  
  
"Can you inform Emperor Katsuki that I'd like to see him today in the Throne room at one o’clock. Please bring breakfast for two people up here at nine thirty and feed Makkachin."  
  
Viktor turns to Makkachin to find her wandering back to the bed - determined to wake Yuuri. Viktor leaps from his spot by the door and scoops his large poodle into his arms. He turns around and sees his bedroom door fully open with maids piling over each other to look into his room. The blankets cover Yuuri up to his ear so the only thing they can see is Yuuri's dark hair.   
  
The maids step back from the door and assume their former positions when Viktor returns. Viktor places Makkachin on the floor outside of his room and gives a curt nod to his maids before closing the door.  
  
Behind the closed door in the hallway, Viktor can hear feet shuffling, faint giggles and shushes as the maids leave. Viktor crosses the room to his bed and slides back underneath the sheets. He gently wraps his arms around Yuuri and snuggles close to him. He closes his eyes and rests a little longer.  
  
  
\--------------------------------------------------  
  
  
Yuuri wakes up wrapped in Viktor’s arms. He looks up to see if Viktor is still sleeping only to find Viktor awake and watching him with a smile on his face.  
  
“Morning, Yuuri.” Viktor murmurs.  
  
“....Morning, Viktor.” Yuuri blushes.  
  
“Breakfast should be arriving any minute now.”   
  
As if on cue, there’s a knock on the door. Viktor runs a hand lovingly through Yuuri’s hair and slides out of the bed. After Viktor answers the door, a line of servants come in and place food, pitchers of water and dishware on the sitting area’s coffee table.   
  
Yuuri tries to sit up and feels jolts of pain from every inch of his body. Every muscle & joint feels stiff & sore and all his wounds are tender. He’s completely fatigued and feels like he could lie back down and sleep for the entire day.   
  
The servants finish setting up the breakfast and take the opportunity to stare curiously at Yuuri. Viktor thanks them but they continue to observe Yuuri. Viktor lets out a sigh and has to shoo his servants out of the room.   
  
Viktor disappears off to his closest for a minute and comes out with a pair of slippers and a robe. Viktor retrieves Yuuri’s glasses from the bedside table and hands them over to Yuuri. Yuuri puts his glasses on while Viktor throws the blanket off Yuuri’s legs to put the slippers on Yuuri’s feet and then he gently places the robe around Yuuri’s shoulders. Once done, Viktor takes hold of Yuuri and gently helps Yuuri stand up from the bed. Yuuri’s legs and feet ache horribly when he puts his full weight onto them. Viktor begins guiding Yuuri to where their breakfast is and Yuuri has to shuffle his feet along the floor to prevent bending his bruised & scraped knees.  
  
Viktor eases Yuuri onto the couch and hands Yuuri a glass of water. Yuuri chugs the water and Viktor - surprised by how fast Yuuri drank it - refills it for him. Yuuri ends up chugging an entire pitcher and a half of water before he slows his pace.   
  
Viktor passes a plate of bit sized finger foods to Yuuri. Yuuri takes the plate into his hands and stares at it. He knows he’s hungry, but the dread and anticipation of what’s to come makes him feel sick to his stomach. He lowers the plate down onto his lap and feels all the stress, worry and fear seep into his aching body.  
  
Viktor notices the change in him and encourages him to eat at least three bites of food before they start discussing. The instant Yuuri puts food in his mouth he wants to spit it back out, but he forces it down. He’s sure the food must taste delicious but his mind is storming with so many thoughts & emotions that he doesn’t notice its flavour.  
  
Viktor sets Yuuri’s plate back on the coffee table once Yuuri has eaten a bit, then takes one of Yuuri’s hands into his own. Viktor explains to Yuuri that his Uncle is accusing him of murdering the late Emperor’s wife and son. Viktor tells him the truth about the wife’s and son’s deaths and how only the mages know of this information. Yuuri learns of the three options his Uncle gave to Viktor and learns about all the options Viktor and Chris came up with to get out of this situation. Then Viktor sincerely apologizes to Yuuri for not finding a better solution to their dilemma, and pleads forgiveness for only giving Yuuri the option of marriage.  
  
They’re both on the verge of tears and Yuuri can’t fathom how he ever found someone as wonderful as Viktor. Viktor has gone through so much trouble for him just because he wholeheartedly loves him.  
  
Yuuri grabs hold of both of Viktor’s hands and holds onto them tightly. He stares straight into Viktor’s gorgeous blue eyes and feels his chest bursting with emotion.  
  
“I love you, Viktor.” Yuuri says, a couple of tears falling from his eyes. Viktor smiles and frees his hands to pull Yuuri into an embrace.  
  
“And I love you, Yuuri.” Viktor whispers into Yuuri’s ear. Yuuri cries into Viktor’s shoulder and clings onto Viktor’s pajama shirt - his arms too wounded and sore to wrap them around Viktor.  
  
“You went through so much trouble for me. I promise I’ll make it up to you.” Yuuri sobs.  
  
“You being alive and next to me for the rest of my life is more than enough, Yuuri.” Viktor replies. Viktor pulls back from their embrace to look Yuuri in the eye.  
  
“We will have to face your Uncle. We’ll put an end to all of this today.” Viktor says. Yuuri can feel his body begin to shake. Viktor caresses Yuuri’s uninjured cheek and continues, “You don’t have to say anything, Yuuri. I’ll do all the talking and I’ll be right beside you the entire time.”  
  
Yuuri nods his head, still unnerved at the thought of facing his Uncle again after so many years. Viktor rests their foreheads together and they bask in the comfort of each others presence.   
  
Viktor stays with their foreheads resting together for quite some time. Finally, Viktor stands and heads to the door to summon some servants to help them get dressed and prepared for their confrontation with Yuuri’s Uncle.  
  
Four servants, three men and a woman, enter the room and follow Viktor to his closet. A few minutes pass, and two of the men and the woman return to Yuuri with clothes in their arms consisting of dress pants, dress shoes, socks, and a fine long sleeved shirt. Yuuri is awed by the beauty of the garments and is amazed by how mere clothing can convey richness and high status.  
  
The servants lift the coffee table with the food on top and move it aside to provide more space. The woman helps Yuuri up from the couch and keeps him balanced upright while the two men help Yuuri out of his pajamas and into the clothes. Yuuri’s whip scars are fully exposed to the three servants, but they show no reaction to them. Yuuri is thankful for that since he’s already uncomfortable enough as it is.  
  
The clothes fit Yuuri like a glove, and Yuuri dreadfully pieces together that it’s not a coincidence that Viktor has clothing that perfectly fits him in the closest. Yuuri makes a mental note to chide Viktor for spending so much money on him - that is, if everything goes well today.  
  
The servants finish dressing him and the woman starts working away at his hair. She combs and parts his bangs in different directions to try to find what looks best on him. Eventually she opts for combing his bangs back atop his head. The servants step back and glance over Yuuri to make sure everything is in order, then set about clearing the food from the coffee table.  
  
The new shoes Yuuri wears are stiff around his feet. He moves his feet around to try and break them in and grimaces as his cracked toenail throbs with pain. Yuuri knows his body needs rest and non constricting clothing, but he’s so stressed & tense right now that resting would be impossible for him.  
  
Viktor returns from his closet fully dressed and Yuuri can’t help but stare. It’s Yuuri’s first time seeing Viktor in his everyday Kingly attire and he looks absolutely stunning. Viktor looks over Yuuri approvingly and moves to Yuuri’s right side to help Yuuri walk.  
  
“Ready?” Viktor asks. Yuuri starts to shake again and fears his voice will tremble if he speaks. Instead he nods his head and Viktor guides him out of the bedroom.  
  
The Throne room is on the first floor of the Castle. To save Yuuri the trouble of walking down all the stairs, Viktor leads Yuuri back into the room with the secret lift passage and they ride it all the way down the Castle.  
  
As they walk through the hallways, everyone in the Castle stares at Yuuri pressed up against Viktor’s side. Yuuri fidgets nervously and squishes closer to Viktor - his agitated mind turning their stares into scornful scowls. Viktor smiles reassuringly at him and tells him that they’re just curious about him.  
  
They pass a door that Yuuri recalls leads to the Grand Ballroom, and soon after they arrive at the Throne room. A few minutes still remain before Yuuri’s Uncle will arrive.   
  
Inside the Throne room, Chris & Yakov stand across the large room at the bottom of a set of steps that lead up to the throne. Windows line the left & right walls and large pillars with intricate carvings run down either side of the room. Several guards stand at the ready along the walls. There’s a large circular skylight in the center of the ceiling with four beautiful crystal chandeliers surrounding it. The floor is tile with a red carpet leading straight to the throne.   
  
Viktor helps Yuuri across the room to stand with Chris & Yakov.  
  
“Chris.” Viktor greets.   
  
Chris doesn’t respond. His eyes are scrunched closed and he has his head tilted to the side as if he’s in deep thought and trying to listen to a conversation at the same time. Viktor continues without acknowledgement from Chris and turns to Yakov.  
  
“Yakov, thank you for being here.”  
  
“Teach that arrogant man a lesson, Vitya.” Yakov replies.  
  
“I will.“ Viktor reassures.  
  
Yuuri’s heart is hammering in his chest. In a few minutes he’s about to see the one thing that terrifies him most in the world. He’s even more on edge since everyone has been staring at him. He feels sick to his stomach again and can’t tell if it’s because of the stress and anxiety he’s under, or because he hasn’t eaten a whole lot.  
  
Viktor begins to turn them so they’re facing toward the door and Yuuri flinches at the action. Viktor pauses for a moment, observes Yuuri’s frightened face, and continues to turn them more slowly. Once they’re facing the door, Viktor snakes his left arm around Yuuri & rests his hand on the left side of Yuuri’s hip. Then he takes Yuuri’s left hand into his right hand. Yuuri moves his right hand across his body to place it on top of Viktor’s hand on his hip. Yuuri trembles and stares wide eyed at the door.  
  
“Yuuri.” Viktor murmurs.  
  
Yuuri peels his gaze from the door to look into Viktor’s calming blue eyes.  
  
“I’ll be right beside you the entire time, okay?” Viktor soothes. Yuuri’s throat feels dry. He squeezes Viktor’s hands and nods his head.  
  
A loud knock is heard on the door and the doors to the Throne room open. A servant takes a step into the room, takes a deep breath and belts out, “Emperor Katsuki has arrived!”   
  
The words echo around the room. Once the echoes have died off, the servant steps off to the side and Emperor Katsuki enters with royal guards trailing behind him.  
  
Yuuri feels tears prick his eyes as his Uncle enters the room. He wishes that he wasn’t wearing his glasses so he couldn’t see his Uncle in detail. _Everything_ about his Uncle is the same. The posture, foreboding aura, and piercing, bloodthirsty glower directed right at him. Yuuri squeezes Viktor’s hands and lets out a whimper.  
  
  
\--------------------------------------------------  
  
  
Viktor hears a whimper and steals a glance at Yuuri. Yuuri’s eyes are filling with tears and he looks absolutely terrified. Viktor tightens his grip on Yuuri and pulls Yuuri closer into his side. His Kingly grin has plastered itself onto his face and he is ready to start this battle. He just has to wait for Emperor Katsuki to hurry up and approach them so they can begin.  
  
Emperor Katsuki takes his time walking across the room - his royal guards marching along behind him. Emperor Katsuki’s facial expression remains neutral, but his eyes scream murder. His assassins were caught so word on whether or not Yuuri was dead never got to him.  
  
Emperor Katsuki finally stops three meters away and continues to glare at Yuuri.  
  
“I see you have found Yuuri Katsuki.” Emperor Katsuki says. He observes Yuuri and takes note of how finely dressed Yuuri is and his proximity to Viktor. His face still remains calm, but his eyes boil with fury. “I do hope this won’t take too long, I have a train to catch.”   
  
“Emperor Katsuki, I’d like you to meet my husband, Yuuri.” Viktor smiles.   
  
There is a long pause. Emperor Katsuki’s jaw clenches. He glances at Chris & Yakov then lets out a jovial laugh.  
  
“Surely you must be joking, King Viktor.” The Emperor says in a friendly tone - pretending as if Viktor has just pulled a huge prank on him.  
  
“No, it’s true. We’re officially married.” Viktor beams, turning his head to Yakov who displays the marriage document. Emperor Katsuki regains his initial neutral composure and attempts again to try and make Viktor see that he is wrong.  
  
“Surely he’s tricking you, King Viktor. You shouldn’t feel empathy for him or believe anything-”  
  
“I assure you, Emperor Katsuki.” Viktor interjects. “I have not been tricked or fooled by Yuuri. Rather, you are the one who I shouldn’t believe.”  
  
Emperor Katsuki openly shows his outrage on his face now. Yuuri whimpers again and Viktor squeezes Yuuri even closer into his side. _‘I’m right  here, Yuuri.’_   Viktor thinks.  
  
Viktor’s Kingly smile fades away, leaving behind a calm, composed expression. There’s no need to pretend smile to Emperor Katsuki anymore.  
  
“I take _great offence_ to that, King Viktor.” Emperor Katsuki snarls.  
  
“And I take great offence to you lying to me and falsely accusing my husband of a crime he didn’t commit.” Viktor counters. Emperor Katsuki lets out a snort.   
  
“ _Falsely_ accusing?” Emperor Katsuki composes himself from his former outburst of rage. “Where is your proof?”  
  
“The mages know the true cause of the deaths of the late Emperor’s wife and son. An explanation from them and your accusation means nothing.”  
  
“A mage’s testimony can easily be written off as lies. All mages are able to communicate with one another and share information at any given moment, so it makes the word of any mage untrustworthy. Do you honestly think the people of Hasetsu will believe the word of a mage over their Emperor?” He smirks, taking delight in the challenge Viktor is providing for him.   
  
Viktor didn’t have much time beforehand to prepare points to bring up in Yuuri’s defense, but Emperor Katsuki just supplied him with one.  
  
“Then how about this?” Viktor asks, loosening his hold on Yuuri’s hip. Yuuri whips his gaze to Viktor and makes a panicked noise of protest, but Viktor gently moves his left hand to the shirt fabric covering Yuuri’s left forearm and pulls the sleeve back to reveal the whip scars.   
  
“Physical proof of your cruelty. The people of Hasetsu may have forgotten your true nature over time, but a look at the scars you left on your own nephew’s body should jog their memories. No one would want such a man to rule them.” Viktor pushes Yuuri’s sleeve back, places his hand back on Yuuri’s hip and pulls Yuuri in close to his side.  
  
Emperor Katsuki falters for a second, but then smiles widely. “In order to do that, King Viktor, I’m afraid Yuuri will have to return to Hasetsu as physical proof.”   
  
Viktor clenches his jaw. They could prove Yuuri’s innocence _and_ force Emperor Katsuki out of power, but going to Hasetsu would be too dangerous. Emperor Katsuki very likely knows Hasetsu like the back of his hand and he’s also not against hiring assassins. If Yuuri were to go to Hasetsu, he wouldn’t leave Hasetsu alive.  
  
“This conversation is wasting both of our time, King Viktor. I graciously gave you three choices to choose from. _Pick one_.” Emperor Katsuki commands.  
  
 _'Yuuri, Mila, or war.'_ Viktor grinds his teeth. _‘Should I risk going to Hasetsu with Yuuri? Perhaps I could go to Hasetsu without him and argue his case.’_   
  
Viktor doesn’t care how long or difficult this trial is. He’s determined to prove Yuuri’s innocence and free Yuuri permanently from his past. Viktor opens his mouth to speak.  
  
“Actually.” Chris cuts in. Viktor closes his mouth and looks toward his friend. Chris has a big smile spreading across his face.  
  
“We mages have just unanimously agreed to protect Yuuri Katsuki. I suggest you return back to Hasetsu and stop harassing this Kingdom.” Chris states. Emperor Katsuki hesitates.  
  
“You’re lying. You’re just saying that to stall your answer. Mark my words, once I return to Hasetsu, war will be declared. ” Emperor Katsuki sneers.   
  
Chris gives Viktor a triumphant smile. Viktor breaks out into a grin of his own. He doesn’t know how Chris did it, but they truly have the mages on their side. Viktor confidently turns back to address Emperor Katsuki.  
  
“Declare war all you want, Emperor Katsuki, it won’t do you any good. You’ve already lost.” Viktor beams. Emperor Katsuki’s rage shows on his face again.  
  
“Do you honestly think you can lie to me?! I know what you’re up to! You’re sending an army to Hasetsu right now! Once I return you’ll lay waste to Hasetsu!” He roars.  
  
“As chaotic as war is, there are still rules. We have to officially declare war before we’re allowed to attack one another. Unless I was invading, but I wouldn’t risk losing the support of my allies to do that.”  
  
“You’re-”  
  
“Emperor Katsuki.” Viktor cuts him off. “As you’ve already stated, this is wasting both of our time. Return to Hasetsu, and never set foot in Russeta again.”  
  
Emperor Katsuki darts his eyes from Viktor to Chris. He glances to his royal guards but they don’t have any input to offer on the matter. Emperor Katsuki pales, stamps his foot and he lets out an indignant huff. He glares directly at Yuuri and his face contorts in anger.  
  
“I swear, Yuuri. I’ll see you dead-”  
  
Viktor immediately brings Yuuri protectively into his chest and hollers, “Guards! Escort Emperor Katsuki and his entourage out of my Kingdom.”  
  
The noise of all the guards moving from the walls drown out the sounds of Emperor Katsuki’s yells. Viktor glares at Emperor Katsuki as he’s hustled out of the door and feels immense satisfaction when he hears the Throne room door shut with an audible ‘bang’.  
  
Viktor lets out a sigh. Every muscle in his body releasing its tension. _’It’s over.’_  
  
“It’s okay Yuuri, he’s gone. He’ll never harm you again.” Viktor quietly says to Yuuri.  
  
Yuuri sobs into Viktor’s chest and his trembling legs finally give out under him. Viktor takes on Yuuri’s full weight and gently rocks back and forth to ease Yuuri - all the while murmuring soothing words into his ear.  
  


 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll explain why the mages banded together in the next and final chapter!
> 
> Thanks for reading! :D


	15. Wounds That Have Finally Healed

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the late chapter! Σ(`･ω･Ⅲ) I underestimated how busy summer can be.
> 
> Thank you all for sticking around with me until the end! Thank you for all the kudos and wonderful comments! I apologize for not replying to comments. I don't know what to say sometimes (／ω＼)
> 
> I hope you'll forgive any rough patches this story has. This is my first fanfic and I've learned a lot from it (ｏ´・ε・｀ｏ)
> 
> Enjoy!!

It has been eight weeks since Emperor Katsuki left Russeta.   
  
After Emperor Katsuki was taken from the Throne Room, Chris explained that it was Georgi who had banded the mages together. Georgi was the only mage who knew how to perform teleportation magic. Georgi promised to teach everyone this difficult spell if they protected Yuuri Katsuki. The convenience of travel far outweighed any alliances or promises to Emperor Katsuki, and soon everyone was on their side.  
  
Emperor Katsuki was immediately taken into custody upon his return to Hasetsu. Hasetsu’s allies were angered that they were so easily fooled and charmed by Emperor Katsuki. They demanded Hasetsu rectify their mistake, and a vote for a new temporary Emperor began. Yuuri’s Uncle was thrown in prison awaiting trial to determine his punishment with no hope of ever being free again.  
  
Upon receiving word that Yuuri’s Uncle was imprisoned, Viktor requested an investigation into Emperor Katsuki’s actions. He wanted to know why Emperor Katsuki wanted to kill Yuuri. Depending on the reason, Yuuri’s life could still be in danger.   
  
The investigation ended inconclusive. Hasetsu couldn’t find an exact reason why Yuuri’s Uncle wanted Yuuri dead other than he just really hates Yuuri. The explanation was satisfactory for Viktor. Viktor has dealt with many people throughout his life so he knows that some people are just born the way they are. It was in Yuuri’s Uncle’s nature to be angry, selfish and uncaring. Regardless, Viktor was thankful to know that Yuuri was finally safe.  
  
For Yuuri, the weeks passed by in a blur of sweet bliss that melted away into despair.  
  
Yuuri spent the first week following his Uncle’s departure resting and healing from his injuries. He stayed in Viktor’s room and every necessity he needed was brought to him. He didn’t take a single step outside of Viktor’s room - their room - that whole week.  
  
During his recovery, he was officially moved into the Castle. His few possessions were retrieved from the Okukawa onsen and brought to his new home. Yuuri didn’t have any say on the matter, but he understood why he had to live in the Castle. Now that he was married to the King, his safety took priority.  
  
Viktor declared Minako as family and granted her access to the Castle any time she wished. The day after his Uncle left Russeta, JJ brought Minako to the Castle to see him. Yuuri was so relieved to see that she was okay that he burst into tears. They had embraced and chatted nearly the entire day. They hadn’t realized how long they talked until Viktor came back from his daily duties as King. Viktor provided her with sufficient funds to repair any damage done to the onsen during the attack. With a heavy heart, Yuuri bid Minako farewell and watched as she left the room to return to his former home.  
  
Yuuri was comforted that Viktor was still exactly the same. Viktor did take on a more regal persona when doing his duties, but at any other time he was the exact same person that courted Yuuri for all those months. It made the permanent move into the Castle less intimidating for Yuuri.  
  
If it weren’t for Viktor’s duties as a King, Yuuri & Viktor would spend every single second of the day together. While Yuuri was healing, they’d spend hours in the morning & evening laying in bed next to one another. When Yuuri finally healed, Viktor would take him on tours around the Castle and walks through the Castle garden. On a few occasions, Viktor brought Yuuri to Ice Castle to skate, using a secret passage in one of the bedroom bookshelves to get there.  
  
Out of Viktor’s family, Mila and Nikolai quickly warmed up to Yuuri and accepted him into the family. The blonde teen Yuri, on the other hand, didn’t seem to like him at all. The teen had a tendency to frown at him whenever they made eye contact. Viktor had told Yuuri that the frown was the teen’s ‘shy face’ and that the teen actually did like him. Yuuri couldn’t tell if Viktor was joking to lighten the situation, but with time he hoped they’d learn to at least get along with one another.  
  
The people working in the Castle were ecstatic that Yuuri was there. They were very enthusiastic to meet him and very friendly toward him - it made Yuuri shy, nervous & uncomfortable. Yuuri avoided wandering the Castle alone without Viktor as much as he could. Instead he found a sitting room with an overabundance of bookshelves. One of the bookshelves overlapped three-quarters of one of the windows. The windows in the room had large sills that could be sat upon, and Yuuri would sit comfortably on this sill behind the bookshelf. It became Yuuri’s safe haven and a place where he could be alone to think.  
  
It hadn’t been officially announced that Viktor and Yuuri were married. Only the people living and working within the Castle knew of the marriage, and they were sworn to secrecy for the time being. Viktor had made this decision for Yuuri’s sake - knowing that once word got out that he was married, the citizens of Russeta would demand a congratulatory parade, and hundreds of royals would request visits to meet Yuuri. Yuuri couldn’t stand the mere thought of presenting himself in front of others and reaching their high expectations of him. He was grateful for Viktor’s thoughtful, but inevitably temporary solution. Secrets never stay safely hidden within the Castle forever.  
  
In preparation for the day Yuuri would be introduced to the world, Yakov assigned Yuuri to receive lessons from Lilia. Since Yuuri was an early riser, Lilia would teach him in the morning, then she’d switch to teach the young Prince Yuri in the afternoon. Yuuri’s main focus was poise and etiquette with short, condensed lessons on history and other subjects on the side. There was a large sense of urgency to his studies that left him feeling constantly under pressure to succeed.  
  
As the weeks passed, Yuuri spent more time within his safe haven. He knows and fully understands that he has everything and more than he ever could’ve wished for. Love, a family, and riches. He knew it was a dream come true, but he couldn’t stop the doubts and fears that filled his mind. Did he really deserve it? Surely there must be someone more suited to be married to Viktor than him. Someone more beautiful, smarter and charming. These doubts gnawed at Yuuri’s mind to the point that Viktor took notice and started worrying about him - which only made Yuuri more upset and vice versa. It was a vicious cycle.  
  
Yuuri refused to bring his problems to Viktor since he believed that his worries were his problem to deal with. His troubles weighed down on him and they festered into darker thoughts. _‘I’ll only tarnish Viktor's name. I’m holding Viktor back. I can’t make Viktor happy.’_  
  
On one night, Yuuri had sought out guidance from the thin, scrap of paper left from his mother’s letter. He read the three remaining words ‘worthy of love’ over & over again and waited to feel the familiar presence of his family around him, but felt nothing. They were gone.  
  
The days continued to pass and Yuuri began to close himself off from the people around him. It started with the servants of the Castle, then Mila, Chris and everyone else close to Viktor. Viktor had called in Minako to help and even she couldn’t get to the root of Yuuri’s troubles. Soon after that, Yuuri distanced himself from Viktor. His once long, loving conversations with Viktor turned into short, one sentence questions and answers. A rift had formed between them and at that point Yuuri was too scared and embarrassed to bring his trivial issues to Viktor.  
  
On many occasions Yuuri thought of sneaking off to the onsen. He’d imagine himself inside the onsen, following along his usual path straight to the cleaning closet, grabbing his supplies and setting straight to work scrubbing the familiar floors until they shined. He lamented on how simple life seemed back then, but he promised himself - for Viktor’s sake - that he would never put himself in harms way or expose himself to danger. Thus, Yuuri stayed within the confines of the Castle and struggled with his chaining thoughts alone.  
  
  
\-----  
  
  
Yuuri sits in his safe haven, mulling over his doubts and worries for the millionth time. After finishing breakfast he immediately left the table to hide from everything and everyone. It’s a Saturday so he has no lessons that day.  
  
He stares out the window at lush pine trees swaying in the wind - searching the branches of each tree as if they will give him the answers to all his problems. Yuuri hasn’t had a proper conversation with Viktor in two weeks. Yuuri was tempted to start sleeping in his safe haven to avoid the awkwardness of avoiding talking to Viktor despite sharing the same room and bed.  
  
A knock on the room’s door breaks Yuuri out of his thoughts, and from the other side of the bookshelf, he can hear the door open.  
  
“Yuuri?” Viktor’s voice calls.  
  
Everyone in the Castle knows Yuuri’s safe haven is in this room and they don’t disturb him out of respect. For Yuuri, he didn’t know everyone knew he was hiding in here until three days ago when Viktor came looking for him and had asked the servants where he was. The exposing of his hiding spot only added another worry to his mountain of troubles already weighing him down.  
  
Yuuri fakes a smile to try and brighten his expression, then leans forward to peek around the bookshelf at his husband. Viktor is frowning and it only deepens when he sees Yuuri’s face. Yuuri’s defenses rise and his mind starts panicking and overloading with thoughts. His fake smile didn’t work at all.  
  
“You have a visitor. He wishes to speak with you.” Viktor tentatively says.  
  
Yuuri shivers and fears the worst. _‘Has word that I‘m married to Viktor got out of the Castle?’_   
  
“W-who is it?” Yuuri asks, shifting ever so slightly back behind the shelf.  
  
“Georgi.” Viktor replies.  
  
 _‘Georgi?’_ Yuuri thinks, surprised. Yuuri hasn’t seen Georgi since the night he was attacked. Yuuri had wanted to thank Georgi for all his help, but Chris said Georgi was busy holding classes on teleportation magic. Georgi taught a group of mages until they mastered the spell and then sent them off to teach others the technique. After that Georgi disappeared and no one could get in contact with him.  
  
Yuuri slides his way out of his hiding spot, grabs his shoes, slips them back onto his feet and follows Viktor. In the hall, Viktor slows his pace so he’s walking next to Yuuri. As they walk, the tension & awkwardness thickens to the point that Yuuri feels he might be crushed under it. Yuuri can see out of the corner of his eye that Viktor keeps glancing at him.  
  
They remain silent as they walk to the first floor and out the front doors. It’s October and the air gets cooler by the day. A light breeze sweeps the area and the late-morning sun shines golden-yellow down on them.  
  
At the bottom the steps leading from the front door is Georgi who holds the hand of a petite woman with long blonde hair. Yuuri is surprised by how different Georgi looks without his odd clothing and caked on makeup. Yuuri also can’t believe how happy Georgi looks - mirroring the same joy as the woman beside him. Their happiness is its own light and it reaches through the emotional gloom that surrounds Yuuri. For the first time in days, Yuuri feels the tug of a small smile at the corners of his lips.  
  
Yuuri descends the stairs and Viktor follows suit. Georgi stands right in front of the stairs so Yuuri has to stop on the second last step. It puts Yuuri up a couple inches taller than Georgi.  
  
“Yuuri Katsuki.” Georgi greets with a smile.  
  
“Georgi! How have you been? I’ve been wanting to thank you for everything you’ve done for me.” Yuuri says.  
  
“I’ve been well. I have a request for you, actually. I’m hoping you’ll accept?” Georgi shyly replies.  
  
“Oh, anything! Just name it.”  
  
“I was wondering if you’d be willing to hire me on as a royal mage.”   
  
“Oh! Uhh...” Yuuri looks to Viktor, unsure if he’s allowed to say yes or not. It feels like it’s been forever since he’s made full eye contact with Viktor. Yuuri is amazed that even though he sees Viktor everyday, Viktor’s brilliant blue eyes still have the power to take his breath away.  
  
“Viktor, is it okay if we hire Georgi?” Yuuri asks, still breathless.  
  
“It depends.” Viktor says. Viktor locks his eyes onto Georgi’s. “Being a royal mage requires a great amount of loyalty. I need your reasoning for wanting to serve this Kingdom.”  
  
“Serving the Kingdom isn’t my main reason. Although, over time I’m sure I will come to love and protect this Kingdom. My main reason is you, Yuuri.” Georgi directs his gaze to Yuuri.  
  
“Your family helped console and guided me after Anya left me.” Georgi steals a glance at the woman beside him and she beams at him. Georgi blushes in response. “You’re family was even kind enough to find someone I can be happy with. As annoying as your family’s talking spirits were, they did a lot for me. The least I can do is ease their minds and keep an eye on their son.”  
  
Yuuri’s heart flutters and he quickly scans the area with his senses to see if he can feel his family‘s spirits, but he once again feels nothing. Yuuri wants to ask Georgi where his family is, but his lessons from Lilia stop him from doing so. It’s not the correct moment yet. Yuuri patiently holds his questions back and turns to Viktor for his response.  
  
“I accept your reasoning. We don’t need another royal mage, but I wouldn’t mind having you around to keep Yuuri safe. I’ll have Chris teach you what you need to know for the job.” Viktor says.  
  
Georgi smiles widely. “Thank you, your Majesty.” He bows slightly to Viktor and the woman beside him respectfully does the same.  
  
“Not at all, Georgi. I should be the one thanking you. I don’t think Yuuri would be here today if it weren’t for you.” Viktor solemnly replies.  
  
Yuuri bounces in anticipation, fully prepared to ask Georgi about his family, but Viktor continues to speak.  
  
“By the way, Georgi. If you can teleport, why did you make me climb on your back?” Viktor tilts his head slightly in curiosity.  
  
Georgi frowns and pouts his lips - getting defensive. “Teleporting is very tiring. I can only teleport a maximum of four times a day before collapsing on spot from complete exhaustion. Tiring myself out to teleport you such a short distance seemed like too much of a bother.”  
  
Georgi finishes off by crossing his arms protectively over his chest. The woman next to him giggles at his actions. Viktor looks like he’s about to continue conversation with Georgi so Yuuri quickly cuts in with his question.  
  
“Georgi, do you know where my family is? Are they still around?”  
  
“Huh? Oh! No, I’m sorry. They moved on.”  
  
Yuuri feels his heart clench in his chest. He never got to say goodbye to them after they died in the fire, and now he couldn’t say goodbye to them again. Tears begin to prick at Yuuri’s eyes.  
  
“Your family saw that you were safe and passed on. They have no regrets and they can rest peacefully until the day you return to them. Here, your mother asked me to write this for you.”  
  
Georgi opens his jacket and pulls a folded letter out of an inner pocket. He holds the letter out and Yuuri accepts it into his hands. Yuuri pauses, unsure if it’s considered rude to read it right away in front of his guests. He hesitates for only a second before deciding to throw his formal training to the wind. He quickly unfolds the paper and begins reading.  
  
  
 _Yuuri,_  
  
 _We are happy and at peace. This is not a goodbye, my precious son, for we will meet again._  
  
 _You’ve spent many years alone, suffering in silence. Be brave. Have the courage to speak._  
  
 _You will always be worthy of love, regardless of what you think of yourself or what troubles you._  
  
 _We love you, Yuuri._

  
Tears drip from Yuuri’s eyes. He leans forward and wraps his arms around Georgi’s neck. His tears are a mixture of sadness and relief. Sadness at losing his family for good this time, and relief at being reminded that even if they’re gone, he’s not completely alone. It’s time to finally tell Viktor what’s bothering him, but before that, he needs to thank Georgi for guiding him to the life he has now.  
  
“Thank you. For everything.” He sobs into Georgi’s neck.   
  
“You’re welcome.”  
  
  
\--------------------------------------------------  
  
  
Viktor had been really worried about Yuuri. For eight weeks - two whole months - Yuuri had been extremely unhappy and keeping all his troubles bottled up inside. On the day Georgi arrived at the Castle and gave Yuuri that letter, Yuuri finally opened up to Viktor about his worries. Once Yuuri was done speaking, Viktor had crushed Yuuri into his chest and dug his chin into the top of Yuuri’s head. Viktor was sure that must’ve been uncomfortable for Yuuri, but it was Yuuri’s punishment for making him worry so much. Viktor made Yuuri promise to tell him about his troubles and worries - no matter how insignificant they seemed. They would work through them, together.  
  
It’s been a week since Georgi arrived. Since Georgi got hired on as a new royal mage, every royal with a royal mage was to arrive in Russeta to meet Georgi and establish relations with one another. Phichit was one of the first royals to arrive at the Castle along with his two mages, Leo and Guang Hong.  
  
In the process of introducing Georgi, Yuuri would also be revealed as Viktor’s husband. Viktor had contemplated postponing hiring Georgi to protect Yuuri a little longer from the stress of having to enter the life of royalty, but Yuuri said he was ready for what awaited him.  
  
Viktor and Yuuri stand in the Grand Ballroom hosting an evening banquet for all the royals that have arrived in Russeta so far. They’ll be hosting many banquets as royals arrive with their mages by train throughout the week. Teleportation is still slowly being taught to mages around the world and with this new power came rules to abide by. The mages were in the process of establishing the rights and wrongs of teleportation so it’ll still be quite some time before it becomes a common mode of transportation.  
  
The royal mages cluster together in a section of the ballroom. They joke & laugh, show off their magic to each other and use magic to steal food from the tables without having to move from their spot. Yuri & Mila stand by the windows glaring at potential suitors. Some royals brought their own children along in the hopes of convincing Viktor to arrange a marriage between them and his kids. The royals they’ve greeted so far have only introduced their children. They haven't inquired about an arranged marriage. Yet.  
  
Viktor can’t help but feel pride at how splendidly Yuuri is doing at meeting the royals. Yuuri is calm, completely at ease and being himself. Whenever something arises that Yuuri doesn’t know how to handle, he’ll give Viktor an adorable look that screams _‘help me’_   and Viktor will aid the situation.  
  
The King’s of Vutera & Fadina - now such good friends they are practically brothers - are at the banquet as well. The Kingdom’s of Vutera & Fadina don’t have royal mages, but the Kings were curious about what occurs during these events and decided to attend. To get the Kings to stop fighting, Viktor followed Chris’ joking suggestion of getting both the Kings drunk and letting them solve their own issues. It worked and the threat of war between the two disappeared in a mere few hours. All the Kings had to do now was keep their wives away from one another and all would be well.   
  
Yuuri & Viktor greet the King’s of Vutera & Fadina and send them on their way. The Kings are barely out of the way when Phichit immediately rushes in to meet them next.  
  
“Yuuri! It’s such a pleasure to meet you!” Phichit exclaims, grabbing Yuuri’s hand and shaking it vigorously. “King Viktor has told me all about you in his letters! Ah!” He pulls Yuuri into a bone crushing hug. “I just know we’ll be the best of friends! Hi, King Viktor!”  
  
“Hello, Prince Phichit.” Viktor laughs. Phichit pulls away from Yuuri, places his hands on Yuuri’s shoulders and begins rambling about how he grew up in an orphanage & since Yuuri lived a commoner’s life they have many similarities. Viktor watched the smile on Yuuri’s face grow and knew that they would indeed be best friends.  
  
Phichit talks a little longer, then realizes there are other royals behind him waiting to meet Viktor & Yuuri. Phichit takes his leave to the food tables with the promise to return when they’re not busy.  
  
A royal couple step up to them along with their son. Viktor eyes their son - takes in his posture & attitude and immediately dislikes it. There’s no way he’s going to be allowed to marry Mila.  
  
“Hello, I’m Yuuri Katsuki, King Viktor’s husband. Thank you for coming all this way. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” Yuuri says politely with a smile on his face. Yuuri holds out a hand for the King to shake. The King looks at Yuuri’s hand, blatantly ignores Yuuri and turns to Viktor.  
  
“King Viktor, this is my son, Frederick. He is a strong, capable man and he’s a perfect match for your beautiful daughter Mila. I would like to request for your daughter’s hand in marriage.”  
  
Viktor’s eye twitches. _‘So RUDE.’_ Viktor didn’t recognize this royal family as one with a royal mage. Meaning they, like the King’s Vutera  & Fadina, were attending for other reasons. Marriage in particular. Viktor is about to reply, but Yuuri is the one to speak first.  
  
“I’m afraid we don’t arrange marriages for our children. If your son wants Mila’s hand in marriage, he’s going to have to court her properly first.” Yuuri says boldly.  
  
Viktor couldn’t believe it. Was solving his problem on arranged marriages really as simple as telling everyone that it’s his children’s decision? He feels such immense pride for Yuuri and wants to praise him for standing up to this impolite family.  
  
The King’s face turns red and contorts in anger. Yuuri flinches and grabs onto the bottom of Viktor’s shirt for comfort. Viktor realizes that this King’s anger must remind Yuuri of his Uncle.  
  
The King peels his gaze back to Viktor and says in a loud, haughty voice, “Your answer, King Viktor?”  
  
Viktor smiles widely, wraps his arm tightly around Yuuri’s shoulder and pulls Yuuri into his side.  
  
“You heard my husband.” Viktor says, then raises his voice for everyone in the room to hear, “If your son wants my daughter’s hand in marriage, he must ask and court her properly. The same goes for Yuri too.”  
  
The King’s jaw slackens in disbelief and the Queen pulls her husband & son away in an attempt to save face. Mila and Yuri can be seen with expressions of shocked joy and startled surprise. The pompous family is seen whispering harshly amongst themselves before Frederick goes marching up to Mila. He doesn’t even try to be humble. He arrogantly asks Mila if he can court her as if he’s a god walking among the Earth.  
  
“No!” Mila exclaims. “I’m not getting married until I’m twenty seven!” She proudly announces.  
  
“Hell ya! And I’m never getting married!” Yuri adds.  
  
Yakov gasps in horror and looks like he’s about to have a heart attack. So much for ‘producing heirs’ like all royals are supposed to. Viktor is positive Yakov will lecture him about allowing his teens free rein over their love lives, but Viktor only feels pride and joy for his kids’ decisions.  
  
Viktor meets Yuuri’s warm, brown eyes. It hasn’t even been a full year and so much has changed. All those years of solitude and sadness melt away when Viktor stares into Yuuri’s eyes. The struggles and hardships will always be waiting for an opportune time to strike, but Viktor will remain strong. His heart has been filled and healed with love that he never in his life thought he’d ever attain.   
  
“What is it?” Yuuri asks when Viktor continues to stare into his eyes.  
  
“Nothing. I’m just happy... Do you ever feel as if everyone in this world has holes in their hearts and they just need to meet the right person to fill in all the gaps you’re missing and vice versa?” Viktor murmurs, chuckling at himself for how silly he must sound. Yuuri laughs at him.  
  
“No, I can’t say that I have. Although... This is the first time in my life that I feel like I’m actually living. Does that make sense?”  
  
“Yes, it does.”   
  
Two broken hearts managed to fix each other and create something beautiful - Viktor can’t think of anything more wonderful than that.

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!! (*´∇｀*)

**Author's Note:**

> Yay! First fanfic ever! I rewrote this chapter at least 5 times, but I'm finally satisfied with the end result :D I will update next weekend. (I work full time & am usually very tired & lazy after work.) Thank you for reading!


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